Government launch £20million fund to improve disabled rail access

Accessibility Minister, Nusrat Ghani, said: “While many take for granted the ability to travel easily from A to B, access for the fifth of people who identify as disabled can be far from straightforward. We want disabled people to travel easily, confidently and without extra cost, which is why it is fantastic to be opening this fund today. I look forward to seeing what ideas the industry has for accessibility improvements as we work towards a more inclusive rail network.”

The announcement today follows the government’s Inclusive Transport Strategy, which was launched in 2018 and aims to achieve equal access to transport for disabled people. Key commitments delivered in the twelve months since this programme was launched, include:

• introduction of the first ever impartial independent Rail Ombudsman, to ensure passengers get a fair deal when train companies don't
• the launch of a £2 million fund to bring Changing Places accessible toilets to more motorway service areas
• guidance issued to local authorities in England for extending the Blue Badge scheme – the biggest change in 50 years – making it easier for people with non-visible disabilities to travel

And in April this year, it was also announced that 73 stations will benefit from accessible routes to and between every platform, as part of the government’s £300 million Access for All fund. The Access for All programme has delivered over 200 accessible routes into stations along with smaller scale improvements at a further 1,500 stations since it was launched in 2006. Other projects funded through the £300 million programme include:

• installation of Harrington Humps at 77 stations
• accessible toilets installed at 18 stations - including a Changing Places toilet at London Paddington
• a new footbridge and 4 lifts installed at St Neots Station in Cambridgeshire

Furthermore, as part of its Aviation 2050 strategy, the government has also proposed a number of measures to be delivered in partnership with the aviation industry in order to improve flying experiences for both disabled passengers and those with reduced mobility.

The above schemes are all part of the government’s objective that ‘by 2030 all major transport hubs and terminals on both public and private transport networks will meet the needs of disabled people, including toilet and changing facilities, straightforward signage, audio and visual messaging and space to navigate.’

Gary Herbert, a Partner within the Personal Injury department here at Potter Rees Dolan, comments:

This is certainly something to be welcomed and long overdue, although many disabled people would be helped by the existing systems being funded to work as they should. Ad-hoc or poorly thought out arrangements can leave disabled people feeling dependant on others, made to feel a nuisance or having to pre-arrange travel in minute detail only for arrangements to fall down. Often ramp storage varies from train to train or station to station and guards can be unable to find the access equipment required or unlock it for use. The worry is that by inviting ideas from the industry rather than from disabled rail users they may again design solutions which are impracticable, unworkable and inaccessible. It is important that we put the disabled rail users at the start of the process rather than at the end and listen carefully to what they have to say.

Gary is a Partner and Solicitor within the Personal Injury department here at Potter Rees Dolan. Should you wish to speak to Gary about serious personal injury or any aspect of this article, please contact us on 0161 237 5888 or email Gary directly.