Access for disabled people to transport is as important in rural areas as it is in our urban environment. The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) is the independent statutory adviser to the Government on the transport needs of disabled people in England, Scotland and Wales. Over the last year we considered the problems faced by disabled people living in, or visiting, rural areas.
In this briefing we have reported on some of those issues but are asking for your views on what we should do next.
What we found
The Government is committed to funding a real improvement to rural transport.
We believe access for disabled people must be a condition of this funding, in line with the commitment in Transport 2010. We recommend funding streams for rural areas are evaluated to identify and disseminate examples of good practice on what works effectively for disabled people in different types of rural areas.
Rural areas are not all the same and different solutions will be needed for different areas.
There is a huge diversity in the rural transport experience. Different solutions will be needed to reflect the diversity of rural areas and the people who live there.
Disabled people in rural areas face the same type of barriers in using transport as those in urban areas but the barriers can be greater.
Some of the main issues to emerge were:
- getting to services
- availability of transport services
- accessibility of public transport
- accessibility of pedestrian environments
- recreational opportunities
In the next section, we consider some of these barriers in more detail.
Rural areas are different
Getting to services
For everyone in rural areas, transport is the single most important concern and is regularly identified as a major barrier to social inclusion.
However, while transport issues are the most important concern for the general public, disabled people are even more likely to mention it (48% compared to 39%). This is even more pronounced among disabled people in rural areas (54%). Frequency in particular was a major problem, identified by our MORI research.
Disabled people in rural areas tended to be more negative than urban disabled people when asked about the considerations made for disabled people in the design of buses, trains and stations in particular.
Many disabled people in rural areas do not have the alternative option, such as shop next door or the bank in the next village, if they are unable to travel independently, either by public transport or in the car. Although the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 will require reasonable adjustments to physical features it may be reasonable to argue that it would not always be economically viable to do so in remote rural areas. Alternative means of providing services in alternative locations may be necessary. This may also require transport services that are convenient, affordable and easy for disabled people to use. It might also make use of information technology and other means to deliver services to people.
We welcomed the Audit Commission's report 'Going places' which recommended changing the eligibility criteria for health, education and social transport on social grounds to provide assistance with transport costs for people travelling for health or social care.
The decision by the National Assembly of Wales that all new social housing will be required to comply with lifetime homes standards may enable more disabled people to remain in rural areas.
Availability of transport services
The Rural White Paper set a target of increasing the proportion of the rural population living within about 10 minutes' walk of an hourly or better bus service from 37% to 50% by 2010 and to 42% by 2004. Hourly bus services have increased in the last few years and almost half of rural households in England now reach this target.
However, The State of the Countryside 2002 shows that while over half of all rural settlements have a six or seven day a week bus service 29% of settlements have no bus service at all.
The distance to bus services coupled with their frequency are major barriers to independent mobility for many disabled people.
Demand responsive transport is now a key contributor to rural mobility. 43% of rural settlements have community transport provision or a supermarket bus.
We believe that in rural areas 'public transport' services could be expanded through supporting community transport, social car schemes, taxis and private hire services.
We need to do more work in this area to consider how these services can improve the availability of accessible transport to disabled people in rural area most effectively.
Accessibility of public transport
New buses for over 23 passengers have to meet accessibility requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. But rural services may be some of the last areas to see DDA compliant vehicles introduced as vehicles are cascaded from urban centres.
We recommend public funding should require compliance with the accessibility regulations. Public funding for small buses 9 to 22 seats inclusive should be conditional on the recent DPTAC Accessibility Specification for Small Buses.
Public transport has a narrow legal definition. We think there is scope to broaden that remit and be more flexible to encourage provision of a wider range of transport services meeting people's needs.
Some disabled people, particularly those living in rural areas, will always depend on the private car irrespective of the improvements to public transport. Without it they face social isolation.
There may be some scope for reviewing the transport subsidies and travel concessions available to disabled people living in rural areas with limited public transport availability, for example by paying less vehicle excise duty.
Local authorities that have responsibilities for parking provision and traffic management strategies (including pedestrianisation in rural towns) should have regard to the impact these will have on the ability of Blue Badge holders to park near the chosen destination.
We also believe funding to improve transport in rural areas (such as Rural Transport Partnership and Parish Transport Fund grants) must require access for disabled people as a condition of funding. We welcome guidance on Rural Bus Challenge funding making this recommendation to applicants.
Accessibility of the pedestrian environment
Many disabled people have real difficulty in using the pedestrian environment and would like to see better maintenance of both pavements and local roads. It was one of the key issues to emerge from MORI attitude survey for DPTAC with only 25% satisfied with pavement maintenance.
The need for easy to use pedestrian routes in rural areas needs to be fully considered. Existing guidance is already available to demonstrate how this can be compatible with rural area aesthetics and not result in a more urban appearance.
Recreational opportunities
DPTAC welcomed the excellent 'Sense and Accessibility' report produced by the Countryside Agency and believed that there should be Government targets to implement its recommendations.
This report provided an extensive and useful study of the problems encountered by disabled people with mobility impairments and offers a number of policy recommendations. The report's key principles - which we fully endorse are:
- Disabled people want to enjoy the countryside in its natural state.
- Disabled people need information on the state of terrain and pavement ahead.
- Man made barriers have to be made accessible.
- Disabled people want to be able to make their own choice as to the type of terrain they can negotiate safely.
- Being able to get to the countryside is almost as important as being in it.
Local Access Forums, established under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, must include disabled people and their needs when considering public rights of way.
We believe that disabled people in rural area must be consulted on issues affecting rights of way but also that this should extend to all rural transport issues to ensure provision meets people's needs.
Next steps
DPTAC wants to develop practical advice to ensure the needs of disabled people are fully considered in 'rural proofing' policies in relation to transport.
We have suggested some areas where we intend to investigate further. But we want to understand your views and priorities to focus on areas where DPTAC can make an impact.
We are currently developing a work programme for 2003 and we are considering the possibility of a task on access in rural areas. What are the priorities in rural areas for DPTAC to consider in more detail?
Please send any issues to DPTAC at dptac@dft.gsi.gov.uk or by post to DPTAC, 1/14 Great Minister House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR. Comments are welcome at any time but we are developing our future work programme during September and October. Please send comments by 31 October 2002.
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