Equality matters

As an agency of the Scottish Government, Transport Scotland is responsible for ensuring that any policy decision about service delivery is made taking full account of all equality issues.

We are committed to tackling inequality and disadvantage, addressing issues concerning:

• Race
• Gender - details are contained in the Transport Scotland Gender Equality Scheme
• Age
• Sexual orientation
• Faith or religious belief
• Disability – details are contained in the Transport Scotland Disability Equality Scheme

Equality in all we do

Equality issues are taken into account in all of our areas of work. 

Find out more about access to the transport network for disabled people. 

Transport Scotland runs the national concessionary travel scheme which provides free bus travel throughout Scotland for many older and disabled people.

Work to improve the trunk road network for disabled people is covered by the Roads for All programme.

Equality outcomes and mainstreaming reports

As an agency of the Scottish Government, we contribute to their ‘Equality outcomes and mainstreaming reports’ every two years. Our contributions can be found in the ‘Mainstreaming Equality in Scottish Government Agencies’ sections:

• Equality outcomes and mainstreaming - 2019 Report
• Equality outcomes and mainstreaming - 2017 Report

Engagement with others

Transport Scotland engages with a wide range of organisations on equality issues:

• Capability Scotland - Organisation committed to ensuring disabled people achieve the same human and civil rights as the rest of society
• ENABLE Scotland - Campaigns for children and adults with learning disabilities, supporting them to live, work and participate in their communities
• Equality and Human Rights Commission - The Commission works to ensure everyone has a fair chance to participate in society. Replaces the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission for Racial Equality, and the Disability Rights Commission
• First ScotRail - The train operating company running the Scottish rail network
• Inclusion Scotland (IS) - An innovative consortium of disabled peoples' organisations and individual disabled people
• Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) - This committee has been set up to advise Scottish ministers on the interests of disabled people
• Network Rail - The company which owns and operates Scotland’s rail infrastructure
• Passenger Focus - Putting Rail Passengers First - An independent rail consumer watchdog
• Royal National Institute of Blind People - National UK charity providing a range of information and support for blind or partially sighted people
• Royal National Institute for Deaf People - RNID is the largest charity representing the 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK
• Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance (SATA) - An organisation which brings together individuals and groups with an interest in improving transport
• Scottish Council on Deafness - The lead organisation for deaf issues in Scotland
• Scottish Disability Equality Forum - Member organisations promote social inclusion and equal access for people affected by disability