Written question asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Adonis (Labour) on Wednesday, 29 April 2009.

Railways: Wheelchair Users

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that train operating companies increase the number of spaces available for wheelchair users.

Answer: 42 per cent of the national train fleet has been built to modern accessibility standards, which include a requirement for a certain number of wheelchair spaces per given length of train. These standards were developed following consultation with disability groups including the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), the Government’s statutory advisors on the transport needs of disabled people. In addition, almost all older vehicles have featured improved accessibility, including for wheelchair users, when they have undergone refurbishment. In 2008, the Government set an end date of 1 January 2020, by which time all trains must be accessible. This is some 15 years earlier than would occur naturally through normal fleet replacement and we are already working closely with the rail industry to deliver this commitment.

Secondary information