Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the needs of disabled passengers as lockdown restrictions are lifted on the transport system.

The Government remains as committed to delivering inclusive transport for all passengers as lockdown restrictions are lifted, as they were before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials and ministers consider the needs of disabled people in all of their decisions, alongside other protected characteristics, in line with their duties under the Equalities Act and Public Sector Equality Duty. We work closely with stakeholders, including disability organisations, and our statutory advisors, the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), to understand the needs of disabled people and ensure those views are reflected in policy decisions.

On 9 May the Department published statutory guidance to local authorities on reallocating road space which makes clear that authorities must consider the needs of disabled people and those with other protected characteristics when making changes to their transport networks. Public Sector Equality Duty requirements apply to temporary measures as they do to permanent ones.