The government has unveiled a new Accessibility Roadmap aimed at removing long-standing barriers for disabled passengers on Britain’s railways. Announced by Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy, the initiative sets out practical steps to improve accessibility ahead of the creation of Great British Railways, with a focus on delivering real, measurable change across the network.
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy, said: “For too long, disabled people have faced barriers on our railway, but today marks a turning point. I’m proud to launch our Accessibility Roadmap, which is a practical plan to deliver real, measurable change, ahead of the establishment of Great British Railways.
“Accessibility will be one of GBR’s key priorities, but we’re not waiting for GBR to be set up – we’re taking action now: improving the reliability of station lifts and escalators by introducing better maintenance, status reporting, and a standardised lift design; expanding eligibility for the Disabled Persons Railcard; and improving on-the-ground support for disabled passengers – including planning for the wider rollout of Welcome Points across the network.
“Crucially, the Roadmap isn’t something we’ve dreamt up alone – it builds on years of engagement with disabled people. The experiences of passengers like Gemma, Neil, Danny and Simon, whose stories are featured in a new video to mark the launch, are at the heart of this plan.
“We know there is more work to do, but the Roadmap lays the foundations for a longer-term transformation under GBR, because an accessible railway isn’t just better for disabled people – it’s better for us all, and this is the start of building one together.”
Image credit: ORR