Accessible Transport Policy Commission
To guide policy decisions the Accessible Transport Policy Commission was established to be a bridge between ncat and policymakers.
Launched in September 2023, the Policy Commission is a cross-party group of Commissioners from both Houses of Parliament, chaired by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, one of Britain’s greatest ever Paralympians and a strong positive voice for accessible transport. The Commission brings together disabled people and transport professionals with policymakers to forge a new and more inclusive consensus about the future of the transport system.
You can read about the launch event here.
Since its launch, the Commission has engaged with national policymakers, including most recently in November 2024 the then Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, and united local government leaders around the Accessible Transport Charter.
The Accessible Transport Charter calls for local and regional political leaders to boost productivity and economic growth by closing the Transport Accessibility Gap and ensuring all residents in those regions can lead independent and fulfilling lives. It commits both current and prospective councillors and mayors from across the UK to:
• Include Disabled people in the governance and delivery of transport services through the appointment of a Disabled people’s champion to key transport public decision-making bodies.
• Support local transport authorities and operators to set up accessibility panels composed of Disabled people and organisations.
• Promote community transport services and accessible public transport.
• Make our streets accessible, inclusive, and safe for Disabled people.
Notable signees include Andy Burnham (Mayor of Greater Manchester Combined Authority), Tracy Brabin (Mayor of West Yorkshire Combined Authority) and Andy Street (at the time Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority) as well as twelve serving councillors from local authorities across England and Wales.
The Commission hears evidence from disabled people, transport professionals and policymakers from the national, regional, local and devolved levels of government to improve public policies and everyday practices. It does this by applying evidence and insights from ncat and a wide range of other experts through quarterly roundtable discussions, research symposiums and cross-sector meetings.
Findings are published after each meeting and the link here is to the most recent meeting in October 2024
Clive Gilbert from the Accessible Transport Policy Commission says: “2025 promises to be an important year for transport policy across the UK. The Accessible Transport Policy Commission looks forward to using the evidence gathered by ncat to ensure disabled people’s voices are heard in city halls, legislatures, and government offices across the country.”