§ 21. Mr. CrausbyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on measures to improve access for disabled people to transport services. [152928]
§ Mr. HillWe have made significant progress over recent years towards a transport system that is accessible to all our citizens, including those who are disabled.
Accessibility regulations for new trains, and more recently, for new buses and coaches used on local and scheduled services have been introduced under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which set technical standards for accessibility, including wheelchair access. Similar regulations for taxis will follow.
Access to public transport infrastructure is also being addressed under Part III of the DDA.
In addition, the 10 Year Transport Plan, published last summer, introduced a new commitment to ensuring that access for disabled people is a condition of all new public investment in transport.
Taken together such initiatives will ensure that in future disabled people, including those who use wheelchairs, have the same opportunities for mobility as everyone else.