The latest meeting of the Accessible Transport Policy Commission (ATPC) brought together parliamentarians, policymakers, transport operators, standards organisations, Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs), researchers and disabled people to explore two important areas shaping the future of accessible transport: accessibility education and training, and the Government’s Accessible Travel Charter.
Opening the meeting, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson reflected on her own experiences of travelling as a disabled passenger, highlighting that while progress has been made, accessibility remains inconsistent across the transport network. She emphasised the importance of ensuring disabled people can travel with confidence and dignity, setting the tone for a discussion focused on how evidence, education, standards and collaboration can help deliver more consistent journeys.
A clear message emerged throughout the discussions: while accessible infrastructure remains fundamental, delivering consistently accessible journeys also depends on education, organisational culture, communication and collaboration across the transport system.
Education and training can help drive change
The meeting opened with an overview of emerging findings from ncat’s Accessibility Education and Training Landscape research, presented by Dr Carlo Tramontano and Dr Siân Alsop, Assistant Professors at Coventry University.
The research, which will be published later this year, is examining how accessibility education, training and professional development are delivered across the transport sector, identifying opportunities to strengthen accessibility knowledge, skills and confidence across the workforce.
Dr Carlo Tramontano said:
“Accessibility training is not just about what people learn. It’s about how that learning translates into everyday behaviours and better experiences for disabled passengers.”
The presentation highlighted that while many accessibility challenges require long-term investment and infrastructure improvements, education and training offer an immediate opportunity to improve passenger experiences.
It also reinforced the importance of communication, organisational culture and meaningful co-production with disabled people in developing training that leads to lasting change.
Building on the ncat Accessible Transport Charter
The second half of the meeting focused on the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Accessible Travel Charter (ATC), announced as part of the Government’s response to the Transport Select Committee’s Access Denied report.
Opening the discussion, Rosie Snashall, Deputy Director for Accessibility Strategy at the DfT outlined the ambition for a Charter that establishes a shared set of principles for disabled passengers, transport operators, regulators and enforcement bodies. She explained that the ATC will focus on driving cultural change, improving access to accessible information and strengthening collaboration at local, regional and national levels to create greater consistency across the transport system.
The discussion built on the work of the Accessible Transport Policy Commission, convened by ncat and consortium partner Policy Connect, which supported the development of the Accessible Transport Charter for local and regional political leaders. In its response to the Access Denied report, the Department for Transport recognised this work and confirmed its intention to build upon it through the development of a national Accessible Travel Charter.
Delegates explored how the Charter could help address long-standing systemic barriers by creating a shared framework that supports accessibility across every stage of the passenger journey and across all modes of transport. Discussions centred on what the Charter should prioritise, how organisations can demonstrate progress and what will give disabled people confidence that commitments are being acted upon, learned from and continually improved.
A recurring theme throughout the discussion was consistency
Participants agreed that while examples of good practice already exist across the transport sector, disabled passengers continue to experience significant variation between operators, locations and transport modes. Consistency in information, passenger assistance, staff interactions and service standards was recognised as fundamental to improving confidence and delivering reliable, dignified journeys.
From standards to culture
Chris Nash, Business Development and Consulting Manager at the British Standards Institution (BSI), highlighted the important role standards can play in creating consistency across transport. Chris reflected that standards provide organisations with a common foundation, but they must also be implemented consistently, reviewed regularly and embedded throughout the wider transport ecosystem if they are to improve passenger experiences.
Jessie Buckle, Chair of the Accessibility and Inclusivity Forum at London City Airport (Jessie is also an Inclusive Design Specialist and PhD Researcher), reflected on the importance of embedding accessibility throughout organisational culture rather than treating it as a standalone initiative. Jessie highlighted the need for consistent, high-quality training, clear communication and meaningful co-design with disabled people to ensure journeys support choice, autonomy and dignity from start to finish.
The discussion also explored the importance of accreditation, continuous professional development, organisational learning and cross-sector collaboration in helping accessibility become part of everyday decision-making rather than a one-off initiative.
Together, these discussions reinforced that improving accessibility is not solely about physical infrastructure. It also depends on the people, behaviours and organisational culture that shape every stage of a passenger’s journey.
Turning evidence into action
Closing the meeting, Dr Emma Partlow, Chief Executive Officer of ncat, welcomed the opportunity to continue supporting the development of the Accessible Travel Charter through evidence and collaboration.
She said:
“It’s encouraging to see the Accessible Transport Policy Commission’s work informing the development of a national Accessible Travel Charter, and we look forward to continuing to support its development through evidence, partnership and collaboration.”
The meeting concluded with a shared recognition that improving accessibility requires more than individual initiatives. It depends on bringing together evidence, lived experience, education, leadership and collaboration to deliver consistently accessible journeys across every mode of transport.
As work on the Accessible Travel Charter progresses, stakeholders agreed that disabled people must remain central to shaping its future. Discussions reinforced that the Charter should be seen as one part of a wider system of change, supported by robust evidence, lived experience and cross-sector collaboration. Through its role in generating evidence, convening policymakers and industry, and ensuring disabled people’s lived experience informs decision-making, ncat is helping to create the conditions for the Charter to be implemented effectively and contribute to a transport system where accessibility is embedded in policy, practice and organisational culture.
