Corporate report

DPTAC work programme updates

Updated 23 April 2026

This page features quarterly updates on the work of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC).

See DPTAC 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Submitted advice on the draft guidance for section 34 of the Bus Services Act 2025.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, Inclusive Mobility and Transport Advisory Committee, Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland 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