Improving Rail Accessibility in Scotland

Rail accessibility is a reserved matter for the UK Government. However, Scottish Ministers, through Transport Scotland work closely with the Department for Transport (DfT) to identify Scottish stations that should be prioritised for accessibility improvements. The final decision on which stations are funded rests with the DfT.

In 2006, the DfT launched the Railways for All Strategy, setting out the UK Government’s commitment to improving access for disabled passengers. A key element of this strategy is the Access for All programme, which funds projects to deliver step-free routes and other accessibility enhancements at stations.

Beyond this UK-wide programme, the Scottish Government remains committed to going further. Where possible, we integrate accessibility upgrades into wider rail investment projects. To support this, Transport Scotland and the DfT have published the Design Standards for Accessible Railway Stations, a joint Code of Practice detailing requirements for accessible rail services.

Today, the Scottish rail franchise fleet is fully compliant with PRM-NTSN (Persons with Reduced Mobility – National Technical Specification Notice). This means every train provides:

• Two dedicated wheelchair spaces
• Audible and visual passenger information
• On-board call-for-aid systems

For practical guidance and assistance options for on train and at stations, visit:

• ScotRail Accessible Travel
• Caledonian Sleeper Accessible Travel