Corporate report
DPTAC work programme updates
Updated 23 April 2026
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This page features quarterly updates on the work of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC).
³§±ð±ðÌýDPTAC annual reports for more information on DPTAC’s work.
Future work
April to June 2026
| Upcoming work item | Working group |
|---|---|
| Continue to provide support to the Law Commission with their now ongoing review of Transport accessibility legislation. | All |
| Provide advice on the development of the accessible travel charter. | All |
| Provide advice on the ongoing passage of the railways bill and the development of plans related to Great British Railways. | Rail |
| Continue to provide advice on automated vehicles and participate in the accessibility advisory panel and the expert advisory panel. | Personal Mobility |
| Provide advice on the guidance on the development, review and publication of bus network accessibility plans. | Local Transport |
| Continued participation in the steering group on the development of national guidance on the safety and accessibility of stopping places. | Local Transport |
Work carried out
January to March 2026
| Work item | Working group |
|---|---|
| Provided advice on the draft terms of reference for the Law Commission review of Accessibility legislation. | All |
| Provided input into the continued development of the Accessible Travel Charter. | All |
| Provided advice on the development of local transport plan guidance for local transport authorities. | All |
| Submitted advice on the extended qualifying criteria for the Disabled Persons Railcard. | Rail |
| Provided advice on an application for exemption from RVAR from Talyllyn Railway Company. | Rail |
| Provided advice on the National Public Transport Access Nodes (NaPTAN) accessibility data project. | Local Transport |
| Submitted advice on the statement of requirements for the procurement of a supplier to produce national guidance on the safety and accessibility of stopping places. | Local Transport |
| Provided advice on mixed fleets for taxis and PHVs. | Local Transport |
| Submitted advice on the draft guidance for section 34 of the Bus Services Act 2025. | Local Transport |
| Provided advice on the revised Manual for Streets Parts A, B and C. | Personal Mobility |
| Provided advice on Active Travel England’s Rural Design Guidance. | Personal Mobility |
| Provided advice on accessibility within the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) to inform the department’s review of the document. | Aviation and Maritime |
| Continued to support the work of the Aviation Accessibility Implementation Group (AAIG) | Aviation and Maritime |
| Provided guidance on the accessibility elements of the department’s Data Action Plan. | Research and evidence |
| Submitted advice to support engagement on the role and operations of mobility centres. | Research and evidence |
| Provided advice on the carriage of mobility scooters on local bus services. | Local Transport |
October to December 2025
| Work item | Working group |
|---|---|
| Provided advice on the development of the accessible travel charter. | All |
| Provided advice to the CCAV on the Automated Passenger Services (APS) Permitting Scheme consultation and Accessibility Advisory Panel. | All |
| Provided advice on the department’s review of their approach to transport resilience. | All |
| Attended the accessibility four nations meeting of DPTAC, , and the Welsh Government. | All |
| Provided advice on the latest version of the Integrated National Transport Strategy, due to be published in early 2026. | All |
| Engaged with officials on station modernisation and accessibility. | Rail |
| Engaged with West Coast Partnership development on their collaboration with the department, HS2 and Network Rail. | Rail |
| Participated in the ongoing work of the National Accessibility Group (NAG) | Rail |
| Submitted advice on Great Western Railway Class 230001 ACC NTSN dispensation request. | Rail |
| Joined the newly formed Accessibility Road Map Delivery Board. | Rail |
| Provided advice on the compliance of home to school and rail replacement coach services with Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR) and Accessible Information Regulations (AIR). | Local Transport |
| Provided advice on the latest draft of updated enhanced partnerships guidance for buses. | Local Transport |
| Reviewed the ‘Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy 3’ consultation. | Personal Mobility |
| Reviewed and provided advice on Bus stop infrastructure guidance. | Personal Mobility |
| Provided advice on pavement parking research surveys | Personal Mobility |
| Provided feedback on the Think research report on disabled and non-disabled users of rail. | Research and evidence |
| Engaged with officials on ongoing personal safety on transport research. | Research and evidence |
July to September 2025
| Work item | Working group |
|---|---|
| Provided feedback on the draft rail accessibility roadmap. | Rail |
| Provided advice to DfT officials on station accessibility data and prioritisation. | Rail |
| Reviewed advice on the code of practice for station accessibility. | Rail |
| Provided advice regarding alarm pull cords in train and station toilets. | Rail |
| Provided further feedback on the government’s response to the railways bill consultation. | Rail |
| Provided advice on the Greater Anglia Trains accessible travel policy. | Rail |
| In September, inducted 3 new members of the committee. | All |
| Provided initial advice on the accessible travel charter. | All |
| Provided further advice on the development of the Integrated National Transport Strategy. | All |
| Provided advice on communications around the accessibility of the new entry / exit system (EES) system at UK ports. | Aviation and Maritime |
| Supported the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group as it published its recommendations. | Aviation and Maritime |
| Submitted advice on the accessibility considerations to be included in the statutory guidance for bus services grants. | Local Transport |
| Provided advice to the department on the enhanced partnerships review. | Local Transport |
| Held discussions with officials regarding 2 statutory instruments of 1. Taxi and PHV accessibility exemption notices. 2. Conduct regulations regarding wheelchair space priority on buses. | Local Transport |
| Provided feedback and advice on floating bus stop infrastructure research specification. | Local Transport / Personal Mobility |
| Held discussions with officials on the powered mobility devices regulatory review, including the draft consultation. | Personal Mobility |
| Provided feedback to Active Travel England (ATE) on the inclusive crossings report. | Personal Mobility |
| Submitted advice on Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 1899 and assistance requirements | Personal Mobility |
| Held discussions with the CCAV on the findings of the accessibility research published in June and on the roadmap for the introduction of the Automated Passenger Services (APS) permitting scheme. | Research and Evidence / Personal Mobility |
| Gave a presentation to DfT analysts on accessible qualitative and quantitative good practice in research. | Research and Evidence |
April to June 2025
| Work item | Working group |
|---|---|
| Provided advice in relation to the consultation on the Railways Bill | Rail |
| Advised on the special rail fare policy for disabled people | Rail |
| Offered guidance on the initial scope of the passenger watchdog | Rail |
| Provided advice on the use of light engineering solutions within the Access for All programme | Rail |
| Reviewed several RVAR exemption requests and consultations | Rail |
| Provided advice on the assessment of the cost and eligibility criteria for the disabled persons railcard | Rail |
| Provided feedback on the recommendations made by the Transport Select Committee in their report, ‘Access Denied’ | All |
| Collaborated with devolved counterparts via the 4 nations meeting | All |
| Contributed to the scoping and accessibility prioritisation of the INTS | All |
| Contributed to the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group, informing recommendations in advance of the final report’s publication | Aviation and Maritime |
| Participated in the maritime accessibility conference, focusing on the prevailing issues, challenges and opportunities pertinent to passenger accessibility within the maritime sector | Aviation and Maritime |
| Provided advice on accessibility communications surrounding the introduction of entry/exit system (EES) at ports and airports | Aviation and Maritime |
| Submitted a position paper concerning the additional accessibility measures incorporated in the Bus Services (no. 2) Bill | Local Transport |
| Supplied further advice regarding the review of Bus Passenger Rights Regulation | Local Transport |
| Provided feedback on the updated guidance for local authorities about the English national concessionary travel scheme | Local Transport |
| Advised on statutory guidance for LTA grant-making powers under the Bus Services Bill | Local Transport |
| Engaged in both the bus centre of excellence bus safety conference and the UK bus manufacturing expert panel | Local Transport |
| Provided preliminary advice on forthcoming guidance for bus stop infrastructure | Local Transport |
| Provided advice on the powered mobility devices regulatory review | Personal Mobility |
| Advised on the ongoing mobility centres review | Personal Mobility |
| Consulted with Active Travel England (ATE) on accessibility research concerning disabled cyclists | Personal Mobility |
| Advised CCAV on accessibility matters related to commercial automated passenger service pilots | Personal Mobility |
| Provided advice on the accessibility of cross-pavement charging technologies | Personal Mobility |
| Conducted desktop research on the use of the ‘purple pound’ as an economic policy instrument in transport | Research and Evidence |