Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her department is taking to strengthen guidance and enforcement to ensure that wheelchair users can travel with confidence on buses.

The Government is committed to ensuring disabled people, including wheelchair users, can travel safely and with confidence on local bus services.

The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 require buses and coaches used on local and scheduled services to include accessibility features such as wheelchair spaces and boarding equipment suitable for passengers using a standard “reference wheelchair”. Existing regulations also require drivers to provide assistance to disabled passengers upon request.

The Bus Services Act 2025 strengthens this framework by requiring drivers and other customer-facing staff to complete disability awareness and assistance training at least every five years. The Act also requires local authorities to publish Bus Network Accessibility Plans and strengthens consideration of accessibility within local bus service planning.

In addition, the Department is developing an Accessible Travel Charter which will help establish clear, unified principles for disabled passengers and assist operators and enforcement bodies in upholding accessibility standards.

The Charter will set out cross-cutting commitments and practical pledges, with organisations signing up to go beyond the legislative minimum and work towards a barrier-free transport system.