Today is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities – the world's annual call to action to ensure disabled people enjoy equal access to every aspect of society, from health services to education, the workplace and of course transport.
Disabled people make up a quarter of the UK's population and have an estimated spending power of £274 billion a year. But too many of us remain excluded from large parts of the transport system.
The Transport Accessibility Gap
In February 2023 we launched the National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) – the UK's first evidence centre dedicated to eliminating barriers to travel through research.
Established with £20 million of funding from the accessible transport charity the Motability Foundation, ncat is run by a consortium of organisations with expertise in inclusive product design, engineering, industry innovation and engagement, research and public policy.
The Motability Foundation decided to invest in the new Centre after its research found that disabled people make 38% fewer journeys than non-disabled people and that this figure had not budget for a decade. This difference is called the "Transport Accessibility Gap", and our Centre is designed to close it.
ncat works with disabled people to influence the transport sector and shape the future to ensure that all travel systems are accessible for disabled people. We do this in collaboration with our Community of Accessible Transport. This is a growing community of over 2,500 members, disabled people, transport professionals, carers and other stakeholders.
It is open to anyone who shares our vision of a more accessible transport system and wishes to take part in our work. Once they have joined, members are invited to take part in research and other projects, working with industry and policy makers make travel easier, safer and more inclusive.
Transport Barriers Database
To mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we have launched the Transport Barriers Database. This provides an interactive guide to disabled people's experiences on the transport system. It is designed to help inform and shape decision making in industry, government and research.
Based on a survey of 1,195 disabled people, the Transport Barriers Database allows users to understand the challenges disabled people encounter on different modes of transport, and filter by impairment, access needs, region, gender and age.
Nothing About Us Without Us
Closing the transport accessibility gap means involving disabled people in decision making at every level. This of course is not a new idea. One of the rallying cries of the disability rights movement is "nothing about us without us".
Making this a reality requires more than just good intentions – it means building co-production and the involvement of disabled people into decision-making structures.
That's why we set up the Accessible Transport Policy Commission. Chaired by the former Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, the Commission is a cross-party group of Parliamentarians that acts as a bridge between the Centre and policymakers throughout the UK.
The Commission brings together disabled people, transport professionals and policymakers from the national, regional, local and devolved levels of government to improve public policies and everyday practices.
Accessible Transport Charter
Earlier this year the Accessible Transport Policy Commission unveiled the Accessible Transport Charter for local government. The Charter outlines a series of actions that councillors and metro mayors can take to make transport in their areas more accessible. These include a pledge to secure the appointment of a disabled people's champion to the key transport decision making bodies at their authority.
Last month Greater Manchester's Mayor Andy Burnham, one of the Charter's first signatories, honoured this pledge by appointing Councillor Tracey Rawlins of Manchester City Council to be the Disability Advocate for the Bee Network Committee, which oversees the region's transport system.
Of course, there is only so much government can do with the expertise and commitment of industry professionals. Our new Transport Barriers Database is just one way that ncat is working with industry to close the transport accessibility gap.
As the world celebrates International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I invite you to join our Community of Accessible Transport and help us build a transport system that lets disabled people lead truly independent and fulfilling lives.
