Work Plan: April 2023 – end March 2024 - Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS)

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The Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) is a non-departmental advisory public body. Within the founding legislation the Scottish Ministers have defined the overall aim for MACS as follows:

MACS will consider such matters relating to the needs of disabled persons in connection with transport as the Committee think appropriate and give advice to Scottish Ministers.

In doing so, the Convener aims to ensure, that MACS’ policies and actions supports the wider strategic policies of the Scottish Ministers.  This aligns with the Framework Document between MACS and Transport Scotland (TS), our Sponsors. MACS Strategic Remit is:

  • To give Scottish Ministers advice on aspects of policy, legislation and practice affecting the travel needs of disabled people.
  • To take account of the broad views and lived experiences of disabled people when giving advice.
  • To encourage awareness amongst disabled people in Scotland of developments which affects their mobility, choices and opportunities.
  • To work closely with SG and ensure our work programme complements the work being undertaken by the Inclusive Mobility and Transport Committee (IMTAC), the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), the Scottish Human Rights Commission, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and other organisations, voluntary and statutory.
  • To promote the travel needs of disabled people with designers including transport planners and operators so that these are fully taken into account in the development of vehicles and infrastructure and delivery of services.
  • To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of our work against the above aims and objectives in improving travel opportunities for disabled people in Scotland.

MACS Vision

MACS believes in a Scotland without the barriers that isolate and exclude disabled people from making their choice of successful door to door journeys.

The Committee’s Work Plan

This work plan sets out an overview of the work that the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland plans to do from April 2023 – end March 2024 in pursuit of its five high level objectives.

It is derived from MACS Strategy for 2021-2024 and has been agreed by MACS Committee Members prior to seeking approval from the Minister for Transport.

It covers the following areas necessary to deliver on our strategic remits and progress our objectives:

  • Engaging with disabled people (listening, learning and advocacy)
  • Engaging and collaborating with key stakeholders (providing advice, challenge and scrutiny)
  • Engaging with Scottish Ministers and providing advice on the travel needs of disabled people
  • Responding to consultations and calls for evidence (advocacy)
  • Providing guidance and scrutiny to the National Transport Strategy (NTS2), the Accessible Travel Framework (ATF) and elements of the Active Travel Delivery Plan (to support inclusive active travel and the sustainable transport hierarchy)
  • Developing and learning as a Committee, and
  • Monitoring and reporting on our performance

Engaging with disabled people (listening, learning and advocacy)

MACS members will reach out and use their existing networks to listen and understand the challenges and needs of disabled people in relation to accessing and using public transport. We will take account of these broad views and the lived experiences of disabled people (including pan disability and the views of people with hidden disabilities) when giving advice and encourage awareness amongst disabled people in Scotland of developments, which affects their mobility, choices and opportunities.

Where we feel an area needs a deeper level of engagement we will undertake this through polls/surveys to gather evidence, roundtable discussions, conferences or themed webinars. 

For 2023-24 MACS will engage more intensely around the following areas:

  • Closing the Mobility Gap through the National Transport Strategy (NTS2), the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), the National Planning Framework (NPF4), the Transport Equalities Network and the Accessible Travel Framework (ATF)
  • Making active travel work for disabled people, including through Transport Scotland’s Active Travel Team and the Active Travel Delivery Plan
  • Motability and the Scottish Governments (SG) Accessible Vehicle and Equipment Scheme (AVES)
  • Transport to Health and Social Care, including the NHS Recovery Plan commitments in Programme for Government
  • Demand Responsive Transport, including highlighting inequalities with the National Entitlement Card (concessionary travel) and taxi schemes (linked to tackling inequalities and reducing the mobility gap)
  • Scotland’s Human Rights Bill, including ensuring international human rights standards are not diminished and working with the SG, Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the Human Rights Commission as well as Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) to incorporate disabled people’s rights and needs into the Scotland’s Human Rights Bill, and
  • The National Islands Plan and Islands Connectivity Plan.
  • The above areas will link to developing policies such as Mobility as a Service and Mobility Hubs. 

During our work we will ensure connections are made between the need for an accessible, easy to use and affordable public transport system that works for everyone to assist with overcoming some of the negative impacts from C-19, such as more disabled people and older people being at risk of social isolation and loneliness and more people living in poverty or on low incomes (making transport unaffordable).

In doing this we will continue to advocate that progress of the NTS2 and ATF shows evidence that “closes the mobility gap”.

We will promote a “just transition” as we work towards net zero and using more sustainable modes of transport where possible. This work will ensure disabled people are not left behind during these transitions i.e. in reducing car kilometers by 20% by 2030, developing 20minute neighbourhoods, inclusive and accessible active travel initiatives, the Fair Fares Review.

We will also continue to work across Ministerial portfolio to ensure connections are made to the role of transport in delivering Programme for Government commitments and other, wider, Ministerial commitments and strategies.

Where there is a need we will seek engagements with Transport Scotland policy area Directors, seek to give evidence to relevant parliamentary committees and build on our work with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (Scotland) and the SHRC.

Engaging and collaborating with key stakeholders (providing advice, challenge and scrutiny)

MACS members will continue to engage with key stakeholders including Scottish Ministers, Transport Scotland, Regional Transport Partnerships, Local Authorities, NHS Boards, Integration Joint Boards, Transport Providers, Relevant Public Bodies, the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS), Disabled People Organisations (DPOs), Disability Organisations, the Scottish Human Right Commission, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), Scottish Road Works Commissioner (SRWC) and our advisory committee colleagues from the Inclusive Mobility and Transport Accessibility Committee (IMTAC) and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC).

Each workstream will produce an “areas of engagement” matrix, Appendix One, showing key projects of interest. This will be reviewed by the full committee twice yearly and will inform who MACS need to engage with and feed into our work plans.

We will use these engagement opportunities to share learning, share successes, pull resources and gain “buy in” to cross-organisational, sector or nation initiatives.

To supplement the work-stream structure the committee has a champion for rural issues (Vice Convener) and for engagement with Disabled People Organisations and Disabled People (Convener).

Engaging with Scottish Ministers and providing advice on the travel needs of disabled people

The Committee’s outputs from areas one and two will stand us in good stead to keep ministers advised on the infrastructure, travel and transport challenges encountered by disable people.

We will identify relevant Ministers to engage with and prepare pre meeting briefings to ensure we maximise our aims and objectives from Ministerial meetings. We will continue to work across Ministerial portfolios.

The Committee will also advise Ministers of significant issues as they arise to keep Minister sighted and where possible offer solutions to explore to address the challenges. 

The Committee will respond to requests from Ministers as appropriate.

Responding to consultations and calls for evidence (advocacy)

To ensure we contribute to strategy and policy developments, the Committee will respond to appropriate consultations and calls for evidence through existing knowledge, using research and by using the information we have gathered through engagements with disabled people and/or their representatives. Our consultation responses and calls for evidence, where appropriate, will be published on the MACS website.

The Committee will also produce and publish (on our website) appropriate good practice guides that will inform and assist other stakeholders to better understand and respond to the transport and travel needs of disabled people. 

We will publish reports, conclusions or recommendations from themed pieces of work such as roundtables and facilitated discussions.

Providing guidance and scrutiny to the National Transport Strategy (NTS2) and the Accessible Travel Framework (ATF)

MACS will re-establish routes to feed into the NTS2 Delivery Board (previously through the Delivery Board before restructuring) and are members of the Transport Equalities Network and the Accessible Transport Steering Group.

We will continue to engage with these boards and groups (and others) to provide advice, provide scrutiny and offer challenge to the progress of the NTS2, STPR2, Active Travel Delivery Plan and ATF. We will ensure disabled people’s views and needs are heard within these forums.

For the Accessible Travel Framework, Annual Delivery Plan, we will offer assistance to Transport Scotland’s Accessible Travel Policy Team as they review the ATF Delivery Plan, focusing on 2023-2026, which is the final stage of the ten year plan.  We will encourage the TS policy team to consider what comes next and the need for an exit plan or project close plan. 

Our work in the above areas will be overseen by the Planning and Strategy Co-Leads and may be supported via dedicated and themed full committee sessions. We will feed back the findings from our reviews of progress annually, highlighting areas of good progress and identifying lags or gaps in reducing the mobility gap and within the reducing inequalities pillar of NTS2. 

Developing and learning as a Committee

It is important that the Committee continues to learn and develop its members, especially as we hope to welcome several new members joining the Committee. This year sees two well established members, who fulfill key roles, complete their second term.  Planning for the above will be achieved through the performance appraisal process, succession planning, the recruitment and selection process and also through a schedule of themed development days and committee learning sessions (knowing me, knowing you).

Monitoring and reporting on our performance

The Committee will monitor its progress at regular intervals through the four Board Meetings, the Workstream Leads Meetings, the Planning and Strategy Meetings, the Scoping Day and by reporting progress and sticking points annually within the Annual Report, which is signed off by the Transport Minister and then laid before parliament.

An overview of the Committee’s governance checks and balances is displayed within Appendix two.

Developing the Committee’s Strategic Plan

MACS has identified a number of areas that will be longer term priorities and work to progress these has been outlined within the five high level objectives within our strategic plan for 2021-2024. These will be revisited annually at “MACS Scoping Day” in November to refresh and align with relevant Programme for Government commitments and to ensure MACS strategy remains current to assist with the delivery of the wider Ministerial and Scottish Government policies.

The work plan review period will be active from November until February each year, with new work plans being introduced in April (after Ministerial agreement). The Convener will lead on this work area.  

Five High Level Objectives

Objective One

To build on the commitment in Programme for Government (PfG) to promote a fair, accessible and inclusive Scotland.

Objective Two

To work across Cabinet and Ministerial portfolios to ensure the need for an accessible transport system is recognised and cited as an enabler.

Objective Three

To ensure that the Scottish Government makes it clear that public bodies and local authorities have a duty to respect the legislation regulating improvements of the accessibility of public transport service provision and the surrounding infrastructures.

Objective Four

To advocate for engagement with MACS when developing or revising policy, plans or contracts by officials to gain expert advice and ensure accessibility is given a priority consideration. This includes using procurement and franchise opportunities when awarding contracts to promote accessibility in transport provisions.

Objective Five

To advocate for an effective and inclusive “just transition” in our review of the National Transport Strategy, the Accessible Travel Framework and supporting strategic plans and route maps. Our reviews will acknowledge progress, identify barriers and gaps and make recommendations to assist with the delivery of these commitments as we make transport more accessible and sustainable.

Appendix One

Descriptors

Workstream areas of engagement: The first graphic on page 10 shows MACS key work areas and engagements by work-stream. The Planning and Strategy Workstream over arches the modal work-streams, has two flows and co-ordinates activities and learning to prevent silo working. The diagram contents are also displayed in text version below.

Workstream Members: The second graphic on page 10 shows MACS work-streams and members.

Overview work-streams, areas of engagement

Planning and Strategy Flow 1: Lead - Linda Bamford

Coordination of Work Plans, Parliamentary Liaison, Committee Champions & Stakeholder Engagement (Rural and DPOs).

Preparing Ministerial Briefings, Annual Report, Rural, EHRC & UNCRPD, Four Nations & Officials, COSLA, LAs & RTPs, Liaison with DPOs, DOs and stakeholders, Women & Girls Safety Using Public Transport – LB, Committee Development Needs & MOU with TS.

Planning and Strategy Flow 2: Co-Leads – David Hunter and Elliot Cooper

Horizon Scanning, Scoping, Enhancing Communications, Analysis of PfG and emerging SG Strategic Plans (NTS2, STPR2 ICP2 &IIP), ATF Delivery Plan Review, Motability & AVES, Co-ordinating Consultation Responses, Undertaking Research & Evidence Gathering including data gathering, Emerging and Digital Technology External Communications - (Preparing briefings and managing MACS Social Media – Twitter presence, reviewing content of website and making recommendations to TS Communication Team)

Bus and Community Transport: Lead - Graham Dunn

Bus & Coaches, Demand Responsive Transport (Including MaaS), Community & Rural Transport, Concessionary Fares, Accessible Taxis, Bus Stakeholder Group, Transport to Health and Social Care.

Ferries and Aviation: Lead – Hilary Stubbs

Islands Connectivity Plan and Islands Delivery Plan, SG Ferries Review, Ferries Accessibility Fund, New Franchises or Procurements, Air Travel, CAA Performance Measures, Special Assistance.

Rail – Simon Watkins

ScotRail on Operator of Last Resort, Great British Railways (creation of accessibility strategy through representation on National Advisory Accessibility Group), Major rail station design & improvements, Passenger Assistance (including monitoring the return of disabled people to rail travel), ScotRail Equalities Group (SEG), Glasgow Subway.

Roads, Infrastructure and Active Travel – Susan Fulton

Parking (including Pavement Parking), Blue Badge, Roads for all Forum, Road Strategies, Engagement Transport Scotland and ORR, Walkng, Wheeling & Cycling (Active Travel), Electric and Autonomous Vehicles and LEZ’s, Scottish Road Works Commissioner.

Workstream Membership

Planning and Strategy

David Hunter, Linda Bamford, Hilary Stubbs (VC), Susan Fulton, Simon Watkins, Graham Dunn, Vacancy.

Bus, Taxi and Community Transport

Graham Dunn, Joanne Devitt, Catherine Barile, Lesley Macinnes, Vacancy.

Ferries and Aviation

Hilary Stubbs, Linda Bamford, Naghat Amhed, Lynsey Shovlin, Vacancy.

Rail

Simon Watkins, Michael Tornow, Lynsey Shovlin, Catherine Barile, Vacancy.

Roads, Infrastructure and Active Travel

Susan Fulton, Naghat Amhed, Michael Tornow, Lesley Macinnes, Elliot Cooper.

MACS Sub Groups and members

Our current work streams have working sub groups are taking a more in-depth look at specific issues:

Transport to Health and Social Care

The sub group members are listed below and reports from our phase 1 work are available on our website (including recommendations made). Our phase 1 work included two pan organisational roundtables facilitated by MACS. This work is being progressed with the SG Health Directorate (primary care team) and more recently through Transport Scotland’s Accessible Travel Framework Steering Group and Delivery Plan.

Members:  Graham Dunn (co-leads): Linda Bamford, Michael Tornow, Naghat Ahmed, Joanne Devitt.

Motability

We have done a great deal of work on Motability following the review by the National Audit Office and Scrutiny by Westminster Committees.  We engaged wider with DPOs and Motability customers and Motability and Motability Operations attended our two-roundtable discussions. Our reports can be found on our website and we continue to progress our asks with Motability and by discussions with the SG Social Security Team as DLA and PIP devolve to Scotland and Scotland established its own Accessible Vehicle and Equipment Scheme (AVES).

Members: David Hunter – Lead. Linda Bamford, Hilary Stubbs and Naghat Ahmed.

New for 2023: Data Gathering, Research and Analysis

To work with Scottish Government Analytical Team and on the development of the Equality Evidence Strategy.

Members: David Hunter, P&S Flow 2 co-lead.

MACS work-stream areas of engagement - January 2023

Planning and Strategy

  • Coordination of Work Plans
  • Parliamentary Liaison
  • Committee Champions & Stakeholder Engagement (Rural and DPOs)
    • Preparing Ministerial Briefings - LB
    • Annual Report - LB
    • Rural – HS/LB
    • EHRC & UNCRPD - TBC
    • Four Nations & Officials – LB/HS
    • Women & Girls Safety Using Public Transport - LB
    • COSLA, LAs & RTPs – LB/DH
    • Liaison with DPOs, DOs and stakeholders - LB
    • Committee Development Needs & MOU with TS – LB
  • Horizon Scanning
  • Scoping
  • Enhancing Communications
  • Emerging and Digital Technology
    • Analysis of PfG and emerging SG Strategic Plans
    • (NTS2, STPR2, IDP & IIP)
    • ATF Delivery Plan Review
    • Motability & AVES
    • Co-ordinating Consultation Responses
    • Undertaking Research & Evidence Gathering including data gathering
    • External Communications (Preparing briefings and managing MACS Twitter presence, reviewing website content and making recommendations to TS Communication Team)

Bus, Taxis and Community Transport

  • Bus and Coaches
  • Demand Responsive Transport (Including MaaS)
  • Community and Rural Transport
  • Concessionary Fares
  • Accessible Taxis
  • Bus Stakeholder Group
  • Transport to Health and Social Care

Ferries and Aviation

  • Islands Connectivity Plan and Islands Delivery Plan
  • SG Ferries Review
  • Ferries Accessibility Fund
  • New Franchises or Procurements
  • Air Travel
  • CAA Performance Measures
  • Special Assistance

Rail

  • ScotRail on Operator of Last Resort
  • Great British Railways (creation of accessibility strategy through representation on National Advisory Accessibility Group)
  • Major rail station design and improvements
  • Passenger Assistance (including monitoring the return of disabled people to rail travel)
  • ScotRail Equalities Group
  • Glasgow Subways

Roads, Infrastructure and Active Travel

  • Parking (including Pavement Parking)
  • Blue Badge
  • Roads for all Forum
  • Road Strategies
  • Engagement Transport Scotland and ORR
  • EnWalking, Wheeling & Cycling (Active Travel)
  • Electric and Autonomous Vehicles and LEZ’s
  • SRWC

MACS workstream members – April 2023

Planning and Strategy

  • Coordination of Work Plans
  • Parliamentary Liaison
  • Committee Champions & Stakeholder Engagement (Rural, IT and DPOs)

Flow 1 - Team of five

  • Lead - Linda Bamford
  • Hilary Stubbs
  • Susan Fulton
  • Simon Watkins
  • Graham Dunn

Planning and Strategy

  • Horizon Scanning 
  • Scoping
  • Enhancing Communications

Flow 2 - Team of two

Co-Leads

  • David Hunter
  • Vacancy

Works across all work-streams and TS Policy Teams and with Sub Groups.

Both co-leads don’t have a second work-stream.

Bus, Taxis and Community Transport

Team of five

  • Lead - Graham Dunn
  • Joanne Devitt
  • Catherine Barile
  • Lesley Macinnes
  • Vacancy

Ferries and Aviation

Team of five

  • Lead - Hilary Stubbs
  • Linda Bamford
  • Naghat Amhed
  • Lynsey Shovlin
  • Vacancy

Rail

Team of five

  • Lead - Simon Watkins
  • Michael Tornow
  • Lynsey Shovlin
  • Catherine Barile
  • Vacancy

Roads, Infrastructure and Active Travel

Team of five

  • Lead - Susan Fulton
  • Naghat Amhed
  • Michael Tornow
  • Lesley Macinnes
  • Elliot Cooper