§ 16. Miss BeggTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has made on the provision by rail operators of full access arrangements for wheelchair-using passengers in Scotland. [136336]
§ Mr. WilsonAll new trains being introduced into service by operators in Scotland are subject to the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations, which require them to be fully accessible to wheelchair users. These regulations are underpinned by the Rail Regulator's Code of Practice, "Meeting the Needs of Disabled Passengers" which is currently being re-drafted.
I understand that Scotrail have recently introduced into service new "Turbostar" trains which are fully accessible to wheelchair users. Scotrail will also shortly be introducing new fully accessible "Juniper" trains which will be used on Strathclyde PTE services.