Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the accessibility of trains for wheelchair users.

Mandatory accessibility standards for trains have been in force since 1999. In that time over 9,400 new vehicles that offer wheelchair spaces, wheelchair passenger call-for-aid devices, boarding ramps and accessible toilets (where there are toilets offered on board) have been brought in to service for mainline services. A further 4,167 trains have been refurbished to offer these features. Over the coming months the small number of trains without dedicated wheelchair spaces will complete the necessary upgrades, meaning all mainline trains will offer compliant spaces for the safe and comfortable carriage of wheelchair passengers.