The latest edition of Transport Access for All, the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport’s Sectoral Plan under the Disability Act 2005, provides a roadmap for further advancements in public transport accessibilities improvements. It aims to build on the progress already achieved and was prepared following an extensive consultation process. This Plan was completed in 2012 and has since been approved by both Houses of the Oireachtas.
Launching the Plan today, Minister for Public and Commuter Transport, Alan Kelly T.D. indicated that “While this Plan is a further positive step, it is by no means a panacea for all of our public transport accessibility issues. However, it does represent an honest view of what is achievable now. Circumstances being different, we would of course like to achieve much more.”
While the Plan is generally reflective of the position at April 2012, progress continues to be made. For instance, all of the Dublin Bus fleet is now composed of low floor wheelchair accessible buses. Considerable progress has been made with the roll out of Real Time Passenger Information systems in the Greater Dublin Area, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and at Dublin Airport. A new Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets has been launched which, among other things, is cognisant of the needs of people with disabilities. An EU Regulation concerning the rights of passengers in bus and coach transport, including those with disabilities or reduced mobility, came into force in March 2013. Work is progressing towards improving transport provision in Rural areas. Accessibility will be maintained and, where possible, enhanced as part of this work. Also, work is well underway on the implementation of the Taxi Review Report. A Smartphone app has been launched which allows passengers to check the licence details of both the vehicle and the driver before they get in the vehicle and work to improve the ordering of wheelchair accessible vehicles is progressing.
In response to concerns raised by a number of people with disabilities, the Plan undertakes to explore the possibility of having accessibility incorporated as a key element of tenders/contracts for Exchequer funded transport services. It contains an expanded Roads Section to reflect the Department’s remit in this area as well as a number of options for policy measures that could be introduced both in the short and slightly longer term. These include a review of the content and quality of training given to front line transport staff both in general disability awareness and in specific areas such as securing wheelchairs in vehicles.
A number of measures to increase monitoring and enforcement of existing accessibility provisions are also proposed as well as possible initiatives to improve the availability and accessibility of travel information available to people with disabilities.
While accessibility issues relating to the tourism and sports remits of the Department are not required to be addressed in this Transport Sectoral Plan, they are addressed by the Department in the context of the recently published National Disability Strategy Implementation Plan. That Plan allows for a whole of Government approach towards improving public service provision generally for people with disabilities.
Minister Kelly emphasised that inclusion, opportunity and participation in social, economic and cultural life should be available to everyone. “It is my belief” he said “that design and planning for services and infrastructure should take this into account from the start. Social inclusion must never been seen as an add-on to what we do, but as an integral component. Transport Access for All, therefore, takes a mainstreaming approach to public transport accessibility”
The Plan is available in a number of formats on the Department’s website www.dttas.ie . Printed copies of the Plan may be obtained by e-mail to PTAccessibility@dttas.ie or Tel: (01) 6041652.