Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help improve access to and prevent refusals of service on transport networks to people who use guide dogs.

Under Sections 168 and 170 of the Equality Act 2010 taxi and PHV drivers must accept the carriage of passengers accompanied by assistance dogs, and the Department has committed to mandating their completion of disability awareness training when Parliamentary time allows. On buses, the Department has committed to require the provision of audible and visible announcements, helping visually impaired passengers to travel with confidence, and new vehicles funded by the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme must be equipped to provide them.

Assistance dogs are permitted on all rail stations and to board train services as long as it is safe for them to do so, and they will not incur any additional fare.

Airlines must legally allow assistance dogs to travel with their owners in the cabin of the aircraft.