The initiative is part of the DfT’s Transport Strategy that aims to make travel accessible for passengers with disabilities. Credit: Geograph.

The UK Department for Transport (DfT) has revealed a number of new measures and initiatives that will help ensure easier travel for disabled people across the country’s transport network, including the railway.

Comprising a series of initiatives in partnerships with industry stakeholders, the DfT’s Transport Strategy aims to make travel accessible for passengers with both visible and less visible disabilities by 2030.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

As part of the move, the UK Government has promised investments in rail accessibility infrastructure, as well as commitments to produce league tables highlighting operators that are delivering the best services for disabled people.

Up to £300m will be set aside to fund the extension of the Access for All programme, which focuses on making railway stations more accessible through initiatives such as step-free access. The government also pledged to raise awareness and enforcement of passengers’ rights, staff training and improvements to accessible information.

UK Transport Accessibility Minister Nusrat Ghani said: “Transport is at the heart of how we live our lives. It helps us get to work, stay in touch with friends and family, and access vital services like healthcare and education.

“But for our ageing population and the fifth of people who are disabled, access to transport can be far from straightforward. This Inclusive Transport Strategy is the first step in achieving a genuinely inclusive transport network, which meets the needs of all people, regardless of whether they are disabled or not.”

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Also included in the Transport Strategy is a plan to support the Rail Delivery Group to improve and simplify Passenger Assist, the system disabled passengers use to book assistance on the rail network. The DfT committed to holding train operators to account for delivering on such a service and to ensuring they compensate passengers if the booked assistance is not provided.

Welcoming the announcement, the Rail Delivery Group tweeted: “The government’s Inclusive Transport Strategy, backed by £300million of funding, will support our goal to increase access to rail alongside industry projects for more step-free access, developing a new universal ramp and an app to simplify and speed up station assistance.”