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Transport

Introduction

There are three motivating factors which make it imperative to continue to improve access to public transport in Merseyside. These are the increasingly ageing population; the commitment of society to provide equal rights to all types of services for disabled people; and the commitment to Social Inclusion contained in the Local Transport Plan.

The Government is promoting awareness of change of population age profile, and the consequences for Government and commerce through such initiatives as its "Better Government for Older People" initiative. Age Concern through its "Debate of the Age" has better informed local government and commerce of the same issues. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and its regulations require services to the public to be made accessible to all. By meeting the access needs of disabled people Merseytravel and public transport operators meet the transport access needs of all passengers.

The Government is introducing regulations under Part V of the Disability Discrimination Act which will require new buses, coaches, trains and taxis to be fully accessible to disabled people, including those who use wheelchairs. Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations have been introduced and apply to new rolling stock coming into service after 31st December 1998. A statutory consultation on regulations for buses and coaches was completed in October 1999 and the statutory instrument containing the finalised regulations will be published in 2000. This statutory instrument sets out minimum legal standards of access provision on public transport vehicles.

In Merseyside the statutory sector and public transport (bus and train) operators working in partnership have developed best practice standards which, in many instances, exceed those in the statutory instruments.

Guidance for the design of accessible public transport infrastructure was assembled by the Department of Transport and the Passenger Transport Executive Group in 1994 under the title: "Guidelines for the Design of
Interchanges, Terminals and Stops" 1994.

In the interim, Merseytravel needed to set out its access standards for the Local Transport Plan, and commissioned an Interchange Strategy which produced a "Best Practice Guide for the Design of Public Transport Interchanges".

The authors of the Code of Practice do not propose to reproduce tranches from the Best Practice Guide within these Fact Sheets. When necessary these documents should be referred to direct. The purpose of the Transportation Fact Sheets is to identify the interaction between vehicles and the designed environment. Those responsible for the built environment must accommodate and complement accessible vehicles in order to ensure the success of an integrated public transport network which is accessible to all. Nor do we propose to reproduce the access standards set out in the statutory instruments. The interior design of vehicles, whilst important to ensure accessible public transport services, does not affect the interaction of vehicles with the designed environment. It is intended, therefore, to include best practice interior designs for public transport vehicles within a separate document, which Merseytravel will promote to Merseyside public transport operators.

By improving access to all sectors of the community Merseytravel will promote a co-ordinated approach to an integrated and inclusive public transport network which puts the passenger first.

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Transport

Contents

Introduction