The National Pensioners Convention wants the new Great British Railways (GBR) to commit to an ‘access for all’ policy to protect older and disabled travellers.
The NPC’s expert Transport Working Party is concerned the government’s draft Rail Reform Bill to set up GBR does not mention the statutory responsibilities of the operator towards disabled and older passengers.
We have now written directly to Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy to insist that accessibility is put at the heart of the new rail service. This follows the lead of Transport Select Committee Chair Ruth Cadbury MP who has already flagged the omission from the Bill.
NPC General Secretary Jan Shortt said: “We find it unacceptable that 'access for all' is not included in the statutory objectives of the Great British Railways (GBR) in the government’s draft Bill.
“Older and disabled people are under increasing pressure from the government on many fronts – but this omission is a question of rights.
So, I have written to Lord Hendy on behalf of our Transport Working Party, requiring that a legal commitment to ‘access for all’ is inserted into the objects which guide and govern GBR, and that this is given equal value in delivering the national railway.”
Jan added: “We also stressed to Lord Hendy that older and disabled travellers should be able to enjoy rail travel like any other passenger, whether that is through access or the ability to buy tickets. Several million adults in the UK do not have access to online facilities, so if they go to staffed or unstaffed stations with ticket machines, they should still be able to purchase tickets at the same discounted rate as anyone going online.”
The NPC’s Transport Working Party – which includes many retired experts in the sector - would be happy to work with the government and GBR to establish the needs of older people and other passengers who require travel assistance.
Working Party Secretary Joel Kosminsky said: “NPC campaigns for equality of treatment for all ages – especially on public transport where our inclusion is a vital part of our mental and physical health. We welcome the creation of GBR in the hope this will further our objective. But we can't accept that GBR has no 'access for all' commitment which older generations have been promised by past governments. We fully support Ruth Cadbury MP when she calls on the Rail Minister to "mind this gap" and ensure that access for all is not left to the Department for Transport, which has too many other things to look after already.”
In her letter to Lord Hendy, Jan Shortt called for GBR to have a fully funded programme for improving and maintaining physical access to and from the trains and stations. We also want staff to be fully trained, and clearly visible on platforms and trains to assist passengers with mobility.
ENDS
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