The Secretary of State publishes Design Standards for Accessible Railway Stations, which licenced operators must follow whenever they install, renew or replace infrastructure or facilities in Great Britain.<\/p>
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Train and station operators are required by their operating licences to establish and comply with an Accessible Travel Policy (ATP) which must be approved by the Office of Rail and Road.\u202f An ATP sets out, among other things, the arrangements and assistance that an operator will provide to protect the interests of disabled people using its services and to facilitate such use.<\/p>
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The guidance states that operators must set out their policies regarding the carriage of mobility scooters and other mobility aids for mobility-impaired people on their trains. Operators must make the reasoning behind their policies clear, particularly with regard to any policy excluding the carriage of some or all mobility scooters and mobility aids.<\/p>
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Operators must also provide as part of their ATP a separate document that gives details of services and facilities at all of the stations they manage, and other stations called at by their services, including relevant stations operated by Network Rail.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4943", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Simon Lightwood"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wakefield and Rothwell"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Simon Lightwood"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-09-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-09-13T13:22:29.14Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-09-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Mobility Scooters"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department has issued on increasing (a) station accessibility and (b) rolling stock accessibility for mobility scooters on the rail network.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4269", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andy McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough and Thornaby East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andy McDonald"} ], "uin" : "4218"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1727437", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1727437/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Train and station operators are required by their operating licences to establish and comply with an Accessible Travel Policy (ATP) which must be approved by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).\u202f An ATP sets out, among other things, the arrangements and assistance that an operator will provide to protect the interests of disabled people using its services and to facilitate such use.<\/p>
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Operators may offer a scooter card scheme which allows passengers to apply for a permit for the carriage of their scooter based on its dimensions and other relevant information reasonably requested by the operator. This flexibility is allowed by the ORR given the variety of mobility scooters, different types rolling stock that may call at an operator\u2019s station (often for different operators\u2019 services), as well as the potential infrastructure restrictions at stations. ORR require operators to publish clear information about what mobility scooters they do / don\u2019t accept, and where and this information is available on operators\u2019 websites.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4943", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Simon Lightwood"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wakefield and Rothwell"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Simon Lightwood"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-09-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-09-13T13:06:26.767Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-09-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Mobility Scooters"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring passenger rail franchise operators to accommodate mobility scooters.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4269", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andy McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough and Thornaby East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andy McDonald"} ], "uin" : "4219"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1727438", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1727438/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
This government is committed to making the railway more accessible. Since 2006, the Access for All Programme has upgraded more than 250 stations to deliver step free access across Great Britain. Details on the accessibility and facilities for each station can be found on the National Rail Enquires or individual train operating company websites.<\/p>
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All trains in service meet the relevant accessibility requirements and are built around accommodating wheelchair dimensions of 1200mm by 700mm but not mobility scooters.<\/p>
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Operators may offer a scooter card scheme which allows passengers to apply for a permit for the carriage of their scooter based on its dimensions and other relevant information reasonably requested by the operator. This flexibility is allowed by the ORR given the variety of mobility scooters, different types rolling stock that may call at an operator\u2019s station (often for different operators\u2019 services), as well as the potential infrastructure restrictions at stations. ORR require operators to publish clear information about what mobility scooters they do / don\u2019t accept, and where and this information is available on operators\u2019 websites.<\/p>
<\/p>
Since 2010, over 8,800 new vehicles out of a fleet of over 15,200 vehicles have been ordered by train operators to replace vehicles that did not meet modern accessibility requirements.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4943", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Simon Lightwood"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wakefield and Rothwell"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Simon Lightwood"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-09-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-09-13T13:19:50.613Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-09-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Mobility Scooters"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) stations and (b) rolling stock units in service were mobility-scooter friendly on the rail network in each year since 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4269", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andy McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough and Thornaby East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andy McDonald"} ], "uin" : "4220"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1652471", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1652471/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
When proposing major changes to ticket office opening hours, including closures, operators are required to take into account the adequacy of the proposed alternatives in relation to the needs of all passengers; and to include this in the notice of the proposal sent to other operators and passenger groups. We would also expect operators to consider other equality related needs and make this clear in the notice sent to other operators and passenger groups.<\/p>
<\/p>
Together with industry, we want to improve and modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to provide more help and advice in customer focused roles. No currently staffed station will be unstaffed as a result of industry changes, and train operators will ensure staff are well located to meet passenger needs in future.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4442", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Huw Merriman"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bexhill and Battle"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Huw Merriman"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-07-17T14:29:35.673Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-07-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Ticket Offices"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of the potential closure of train station ticket offices in Middlesbrough on the (a) safety and (b) accessibility of passenger rail travel in the North East.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4269", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andy McDonald"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andy McDonald"}
], "uin" : "193659"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1599636", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1599636/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The port and shipping sectors are both private, commercial sectors. Therefore, the assessment of future demand requirements of specific markets such as logistics, will be a commercial factor for relevant operators.<\/p> <\/p>