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Designing and Operating Passenger Vessels and Passenger Shore Infrastructure:
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These Documents have also been made available in Adobe Acrobat format for downloading.
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1. Ship travel is an important mode of public transport within the United Kingdom, providing a lifeline for many people living in island communities. A significant number of journeys are made by passenger ships each year within, to, and from the United Kingdom.
2. In 2002, approximately 29 million journeys were made by passengers on roll-on/roll-off ferry services on short sea routes (Dover to Calais being the most used) and a further 40 million journeys on domestic routes within the UK (DfT, 2003). It is likely some of these passengers will have a disability: It is estimated that there are approximately 11 million disabled adults and 770,000 disabled children in the UK (Rickards, L., Fox, K., Roberts, C., Fletcher, L. and Goddard, E. (2004)) and this number is likely to increase as the proportion of older people in the population rises.
3. In June 1996 the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) issued guidelines entitled "Recommendation on the Design and Operation of Passenger Ships to Respond to Elderly and Disabled Persons' Needs". The member states of IMO were asked "to bring the approved Recommendation to the attention of those concerned for action as appropriate" to ensure that these guidelines were used to improve the accessibility of passenger ships. In response the Maritime and Coastguard Agency issued Marine Guidance Note 31 (MGN 31) in 1997. MGN 31 describes the IMO guidelines.
4. The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) document "The design of large passenger ships and passenger infrastructure: guidance on meeting the needs of disabled people" was prepared by the DPTAC Ferries Working Group to support and assist all concerned in the interpretation and implementation of the IMO guidelines to address the needs of the wide range of elderly and disabled people using large passenger vessels.
5. Transport infrastructure - including ports - is covered by Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), which gives disabled people a right of access to goods, facilities and services. However, air and sea transport vehicles are currently exempted from those Part 3 provisions.
6. The DDA 2005 has amended the DDA 1995 to make it clear that the exemption from Part 3 only applies in connection with the provision and use of vehicles, and now includes a regulation-making power to enable the Secretary of State to lift the exemption, in whole or in part (and at different times), in respect of transport providers operating certain types of vehicle, including large passenger ships and cruise liners.
7. In 2005, the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), the Government's independent advisors on the transport needs of disabled people, was asked by Government to review the effectiveness of the existing voluntary code of practise guidance on the inclusive design of ships and passenger infrastructure. The outcome would inform Government on the need to consider using the powers within the DDA 2005 to ensure the needs of disabled people travelling by sea are met.
8. The research study reported that, although the voluntary guidance had to some extent influenced the design of new ships and investment in the infrastructure, the recommendations were not being fully effective in respect of the detail design and should be reviewed. The Government is currently considering the recommendations from the research report findings, including the need for changes in the law.
9. In the meantime, DPTAC is bringing forward one of the recommendations from the report which is to review the voluntary guidance in order for it to remain a creditable resource, update it to reflect the changes to regulations and to include any updates to the reference material.
10. Via its Maritime Working Group DPTAC has been working closely with the shipping sector to produce updated guidance which it is now consulting on. The document offers best practice advice to the shipping industry on how all those who provide services at passenger shore facilities and services provided on board passenger ships can contribute to the delivery of high quality inclusive services that provide access to all members of society, including disabled people. The aim is to bring together into one document existing best practice guidance on inclusive design for passenger ships and ports.
11. The guidance updates and replaces existing guidance. This guidance consists of:
12. We are seeking the views and comments from both the shipping industry and disabled people. The guide does not attempt to provide detailed and prescriptive lists of inclusive design requirements. That is the task of other reference material mentioned in the relevant sections of the guide.
13. The document is separated into six sections which can be read and referred to independently. Chapter Seven contains references and a glossary of the terms of reference used in the guidance.
14. Chapter One and Chapter Two contain general and background information stating the purpose of the guidance and setting out the legislative and regulatory requirements for the provision of shipping services in meeting the needs of persons with reduced mobility.
15. Chapter Three and Chapter Four refer to the services provided at port side and the passenger interface between ship to shore. The Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland is in the process of complementing the Chapter on ship to shore transfer with supplementary guidance on boarding and disembarking from small ferries.
16. Chapter Five relates to services provided by passenger vessels of all types engaged in international or domestic voyages of 500GT or more or certified to carry 250 passengers or more.
17. Chapter Six relates to services provided by passenger vessels of all types engaged in international or domestic voyages of less than 500 GT or certified to carry fewer than 250 passengers. It is recognized that certain services and facilities are unusual on the board vessels of this size, however if these services or facilities (for example cabins) are provided and these are not referred to in this Chapter, the guidelines contained in Chapter Five should be followed.
18. Comments are welcome on any matter mentioned in the consultation paper, as well as anything that consultees feel should have been included. If you are making specific comments or suggesting amendments please make reference in your response to the relevant Chapter, page and paragraph numbers.
19. You can view this consultation document in full on the DPTAC website at www.dptac.gov.uk/pubs/maritime/consult/2007/index.htm.
20. The document can be downloaded free of charge using either MS Word format or PDF format using Adobe Acrobat. It is possible to alter the font and text size of documents on our website.
21. This consultation document is also available in large print, disk, CD-ROM and audio tape. Details of how to order copies are given below.
22. This consultation is being carried out in accordance with the Government's Code of Practice on Written Consultation, a summary of which can be found in Annex A. The consultees to whom it has been sent are listed at Annex B.
23. We will make your response publicly available unless you ask us not to. Please make it clear if you would object to us copying or disclosing your response to others. All responses will be included in any summary of results, although individuals will not be identified. Names and addresses may be held in an electronic database of interested parties for the purpose of distributing future documents on similar issues.
Please send your comments on this specification by the closing date of 5 December 2007.
DPTAC Secretariat
Zone 4/24
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DR
Tel: 0207 944 8011
Fax: 0207 944 6998
Text Phone 0207 944 3277
E-mail: dptac@dft.gsi.gov.uk
You can also contact us at the above address if you would like more information about this consultation, if you have examples of good practice to bring to our attention, or if you would like to receive a copy of the final specification.
Representative bodies or organisations are asked to bring this paper to the attention of all the various interests they represent. Additional copies of this consultation paper may be obtained from us, full contact details are given above, or may be downloaded from our website at www.dptac.gov.uk/pubs/maritime/consult/2007/index.htm.
We are carrying out this consultation in accordance with the Government's Code of Practice on Written Consultation. This is set out in full on the Cabinet Office website at www.berr.gov.uk/bre.
The Code of Practice requires that bodies:
American Bureau of Shipping, Argyll & Bute Council Ferry Operations, ASP Seascot Ship Management Ltd, Associated British Ports, Association of Pleasure Operations, Atlantic Ferries Ltd, Blyth Bridges Marine Consultants Ltd, British Marine Industries Federation, British Ports Association, British Waterways, Burness Corlett, Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd, Central Scotland Passenger Vessel Association, Clyde Marine Services Ltd, Condor Marine Services Ltd, Cromarty Ferry Company, Cunard Seabourn Ltd, Department for Regional Development Northern Ireland, Department for Transport, DET NORSKE VERITAS, DFDS TORLINE, Equality 2025, Fred Olsen Cruise Line Ltd, GERMANISCHER LLOYD, Gleneling Ferry Operator, HART FENTON, HEBRIDEAN INTERNATIONAL CRUISES LTD, Highland Marine Transport Association, Hovercraft Industry Association, Inclusive Mobility & Transport Advisory Committee, John O'Groats Ferries Ltd, Kerrera Ferry Service, Lloyds Register, Loch Lomond Association, Loch Lomond Boat Operators, MAIB, Mallaig Heritage Centre, Mobility & Access Committee Scotland, NUMAST, National Association of Boat Owners, National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, Nautilus, Nautilus Union, Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, North Link Ferries Ltd, Oban Yachts, Office for Disability Issues, On Board HMS Belfast, Orkney Ferries, Orkney Islands Council, P&O, Passenger Shipping Association, Pentland Ferries, Rail Maritime & Transport Union, Red Funnel (Ferries), REGISTRO ITALIANO NAVALE, RINA UK Ltd, Road Haulage Association, Royal Institution of Naval Architects, Saga Shipping Company Ltd, Scottish Executive, Sea Containers House, Sea Ferries & Ports Ltd, Seatag Safety Systems Ltd, Shetland Islands Council, Shipbuilders & Ship Repairers Association, Sound of Mull Transport Group, South Coast Passenger Vessel Operators Association, Speed Ferries, St Mary's Boatman's Association, Stena Line Ltd, Strathclyde Passenger Transport, Stuart Wallace, Sweeney's Cruises, Tenby Harbour Users Association, Thames Luxury Charters, The Bristol Packet, The Chamber of Shipping, The Highland Council, Tourism for All, Western Ferries Ltd, Wightlink Ltd, Windermere Lake Cruises.
Chapter 1: General
Chapter 2: Journey planning
Chapter 3: Shore infrastructure for passengers
Chapter 4: Ship to shore transition
Chapter 5: Passenger vessels of 500 GT or more or certificated to carry 250 passengers or more
Chapter 6: Passenger vessels of less than 500 GT or certificated to carry less than 250 passengers
Chapter 7: References
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Published: 11 September 2007 | Copyright disclaimer | Content disclaimer | © Crown copyright 2008