Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve assisted travel for disabled people across public transport.

The Government’s Inclusive Transport Strategy, published in July 2018, summarises the various steps the Department is taking to make it easier for disabled people to travel by public transport. Among the commitments in the Strategy are that in 2019, the Department will launch a major campaign in England to raise awareness of disabled passengers’ rights when using the transport system and to promote a supportive travelling experience for disabled people. The Department will also develop and launch an accreditation scheme for transport operators to recognise those which show leadership in improving disabled passengers’ experiences, including through providing appropriate disability awareness training.

The Department will also work closely with the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) to ensure the successful roll-out of a new Passenger Assist application to enable customers to book assistance through a single click. The RDG plan a full roll-out across the rail network from January 2020.