Slimming threatens transport body

The Government's recruit­ment freeze risks threatening the effectiveness of the most respected advisory groups on disability and transport

For the past three years I’ve served on the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC).

DPTAC advises govern­ment and industry by presenting a pan-disability view on the impacts of transport law, regulation, guidance and policy.

DPTAC is an independent body established by the Transport Act 1985 and has a statutory duty to consider any matter referred to it by transport ministers.

I believe that DPTAC has played a big role in driving forward dramatic improve­ments to the accessibility of trains, buses and coaches.

As a consequence, public transport in most urban areas in the UK is now much easier to use. Within the next ten years, all the main vehicles will be accessible but much still needs to be done to help people with disabilities in the way they use these services, not least improving the behaviour of staff, and simplifying the booking systems for assistance.

There’s also the continued struggle for more accessible taxis, and improvements to railway stations.

However, like other non-departmental public bodies, DPTAC is under threat. At the end of the year, nine DPTAC members including me will lose their seats, because of a recruitment freeze. This will leave just ten people to carry out all the work. With so few people, can DPTAC still be effective?

Not according to Ann Bates, who currently chairs the Rail Working Group. One of DPTAC’s four working groups, it advises the Department for Transport on improving access to rail services for disabled people. It also advises the Secretary of State on exemptions from the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations and dispensations to the Stations Code of Practice, Trains and Stations Services for Disabled People.

“I firmly believe that a DPTAC with only ten members will not only be unlawful under the Transport Act but will not have the time or resources to provide the independent advice required by the Secretary of State and thus easily become unfit for purpose,” she says.

This is also the view held by Tomi Jones, chair of the Road Transport Working Group, which advises the Department for Transport on improving access to taxi, minicab, bus and coach services for disabled people.

“With most working group chairs being stood down, DPTAC will be left with a big gap in experience. This will have dire consequences for the disabled travelling public, I fear, leaving it with a far weaker voice in government.”

In November 2008, a review of DPTAC was conducted. It highlighted the great value that DPTAC has provided to parliament, the civil service and industry in giving independent advice that is almost impossible to obtain elsewhere.

It also concluded that no other organisation was able to take on DPTAC’s work, nor could the voluntary sector easily fill the gap in expertise that would be created were we abolished.

Although DPTAC has not been abolished, the new committee of just ten members will have to battle hard to get its voice heard. Sadly, I believe this will lead to a weakening of disability rights within the transport services.

I therefore hope the Government sees sense and reinstates DPTAC to, at the very least, its lawful number of members.