Transport Committee to investigate transport accessibility legislation
The Transport Committee will hold the second session of its inquiry into Accessible transport, exploring the legislation and regulations that govern transport accessibility and asking why, given these existing rules, operators and regulators continue to fail disabled people.
Meeting details
Likely areas of questioning
The cross-party Committee will hear from experts in disability law and transport rights, who will be asked to give their own thoughts on the reasons for accessibility failures. MPs may ask about the current state of the legislation governing transport accessibility, and any gaps or areas of ambiguity in the legislation.
Despite legislation being in place, many disabled people and people with access needs are unable to travel with ease or confidence. Questions may focus on whether existing legislation is fundamentally flawed, whether breaches of law are attributable to poor guidance, and how effective existing legislation has been in practice.
Evidence to the Committee has shown that existing legislation is not universally enforced. MPs may ask if industry regulators are ensuring enforcement, whether they need further powers to do so, and the role of the EHRC in enforcing accessibility in transport.
Government strategies, including the Inclusive Transport Strategy and the National Disability Strategy, and the role of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, are also likely to be discussed.