Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) - Minutes of Quarterly Board Meeting - 28 October 2025

Attendees

  • Chair: Anya Kettles, MACS Convener (AK)
  • Simon Watkins, MACS Vice-Convener & Rail Lead (SW)
  • Anne MacLeod, MACS Ferries & Aviation Lead (AM)
  • Catherine Barile, MACS Member (CB)
  • Elliot Cooper, MACS Member (EC)
  • Joanne Devitt, MACS Member (JD)
  • Susan Fulton (SF)
  • Zara Todd. MACS Member (ZT)
  • Naghat Ahmed, MACS Member (NA)
  • MACS Sponsor (JP)
  • MACS Head of Secretariat (DKA)
  • MACS Secretariat Policy and Support Officer (AF)

Apologies

  • Lynn Pilkington (LP) Lynsey Shovlin (LS) , Michael Tornow (MT)

Presenters

  • Kat Quane – Transport Scotland,
  • Laetitia Butler and Ruth Morrison – Walk Wheel Cycle Trust

Agenda Item 1: Welcome, Apologies and Housekeeping – AK

AK welcomed everyone to the meeting and covered housekeeping and confirmed apologies.

AK mentioned her personal experience with virgin airline on her recent holiday and how good the service was being a disabled person. Susan commented that a letter should be sent from MACS.

Action point 1: Anya to write to Virgin airline a letter to state how good customer service was.

Agenda Item 2: Approval of Minutes and Action Points from Previous Board Meeting – AK/DKA

AK/DKA led the group through the previous action points inviting comment from the committee.

Update on Actions

Secretariat to escalate action on Traveline. AF will contact policy manager.

NSTAB smart ticketing – an update is being provided as part of the presentations today.

Minutes approved

Agenda Item 3: Workstream Leads Update

Workstream leads to give any updates:

Rail

SW: Roadmap to improving should be due out later this week, SW said this should be useful.

Ferries and Aviation

AM: Calmac have picked up on MACS recruitment drive and good social media should get a good response on the recruitment session this evening 28/10/2025.

SF: Struggled to get dates in diary to actually meet, they have met now and trying to meet up again in December.

Action point 3: AK: stated that next year meeting dates should be put in now and we can move if needed.

Action point 4: The current ‘Red Book’ guidance is being updated and DPTAC have had sight, and we understand input into this guidance. DKA will contact SF directly on how we might move forward to have a similar role to DPTAC. The next Accessible Four Nations will take place on 3 December.

Motability subgroup

NA – Motability work progressing well there is another event 28 November, and three programme directors are being invited to show how they are progressing. Engagement and the relationship with Motability are improving.

Drivability event on 24 October was well attended and positive a lot of speakers explained how important the centre is for users.

Agenda Item 4: Spotlight Session – Active Travel Strategies – EqIA guidance

Presenter: Laetitia Butler, Ruth Morrison – Walk Wheel Cycle Trust

Action point 5: AF to circulate presentation along with Excel Toolkit

Agenda Item 5: NSTAB Introduction and update on priorities

Presenter – Kat Quane

SK – positive requirement that platforms should be made accessible.

Action point 6: KQ will liaise with DKA to provide updates going forward.

Agenda Item 6: Dates for 2026 board - DKA

DKA –proposed dates were discussed by leads after the last board.

We have gone out to members to ask what day works for them.

  • Held quarterly, normally last Tuesday of the month. For 2026, Board meetings will move to Wednesday:
  • 28 January 2026
  • 29 April 2026
  • 29 July 2026
  • 28 October 2026

AK stated that the move is due to listening to everyone and doing what is best for everyone instead of assuming.

NA noted that she appreciates having the dates in advance.

Everyone in agreement that board dates are good for next year.

Action point 7: Board dates will be sent out in the next week or two due to MACS secretariat changes.

Agenda Item 7: Update on new member recruitment - AK/JP

AK – advised that there is a good number of applicants coming to the planned information session, with at least 30 expected to attend. Interviews are planned for early December.

ZT – asked if there is an opportunity to be had signposting people who are unsuccessful in the application round to other opportunities.

Action point 8: AK stated that her and JP will contact public appointments to see if we can offer some advice/ signposting in our unsuccessful letters.

Agenda Item 8: Any other business – AK

SW proposed that MACS make a submission to the revision of the Accessible Travel Framework process. He offered to draft something which could be discussed and agreed at the next Board meeting in January. The Board agreed.

DKA – Made everyone aware that we will be contacting for them for registers of interest. We will be getting more details and information so that members can visit Bothwell street when doing business meetings.

ZT stated that someone found her address online. AK- stated that is a big GDPR concern, DKA will investigate this as a matter of urgency.

Action point 9: DKA to review the data we publish online to ensure any personal information is removed.

Post-meeting note – following urgent investigation, ZTs personal details have not been published by MACS and ZT has confirmed that it was published by a different organisation.

NA – stated that she is due an appraisal. DKA confirmed that Appraisals are due before April and Leads will discuss when the meet in November. 

Agenda Item 9: Close – AK

AK brought the meeting to a close.

Action Points

Action point 1: AK to write to Virgin airline a letter to state how good customer service was.

Action point 2: NSTAB smart ticketing – an update is being provided as part of the presentations today

Action point 3: AK: stated that next year meeting dates should be put in now and we can move if needed.

Action point 4: The current ‘Red Book’ guidance is being updated and DPTAC have had sight, and we understand input into this guidance. DKA will drop Susan a note on how we can move forward to have a similar role to DPTAC. Four nations meeting is coming up in early December.

Action Point 5: AF to circulate presentation along with Excel Toolkit

Action point 6: KQ will liaise with DKA to provide updates going forward.

Action point 7: Board dates will be sent out in the next week or two due to MACS secretariat changes.

Action point 8: AK stated that her and JP will contact public appointments to see if we can offer some advice/ signposting in our unsuccessful letters.

Action point 9: DKA to undertake an urgent review of the data published online to ensure any personal information has been removed.