Scoping Day
Scoping Day
In November 2021 at the MACS Scoping Day we heard from Transport Scotland's Accessible Travel Policy Team (ATPT) on progress of the Accessible Travel Framework (ATF) Annual Delivery Plan (ADP) for 2021-22. This included their work around the "Reducing Inequalities" priority of NTS2, which is the main driver for the ATF and contains 48 issues, being addressed through ADP. These issues include:
- infrastructure
- ticketing
- staff
- training and Assistance
- information, and
- key issues for specific transport operators
The ATPT reported that they had successfully addressed 37% (18) of the ATF's issues and were continuing to monitor and make progress with the remaining 63% (30). A short update on the issues is provided below with MACS response given in asking for reflections as the ATPT developed the 2022-23 ADP.
Progress against the 2021-22 Accessible Travel Framework Annual Delivery Plan.
Passenger Assistance – the ATPT continue to engage with Thistle Assistance and raise awareness of Rail, Ferry and Aviation assistance via various stakeholder groups. They have also now started exploring how they might complete the "bus" aspect of this priority and have set up a short life working group with various transport operators and disabled people's groups to help conduct surveys and engagement with bus users and transport operators to see what could be done.
MACS Response: How do we weigh up/balance progressing with Thistle Assistance cards against repeated majority comments from disabled people (as the end users) that it doesn't make a difference to their journey experience? How do we show we are listening if we keep pushing forward without responding to disabled people's lived experiences and asks – i.e. for better availability or accessible and affordable transport and improved disability awareness training for transport staff rather than more assistance cards?
Journey Planning – the ATPT held a Webinar in May 2021 with Traveline Scotland and have been engaging with Thistle Assistance to further explore improvements to their apps.
They also intent to meet with CTA to explore opportunities on how they could further promote services.
MACS Response: How do we tackle the combined barriers that many disabled people can't use the Traveline app and the previous comments on Thistle Assistance? We need to do something different and address the issues.
Staff Training – the ATPT updated that they had conducted a survey with local authorities to understand the training provided to taxi drivers and will be doing the same with bus operators. As part of this work they are working closely with DES around training on the Hate Crime Charter creating a sub-group of the Steering Group to focus on Staff Training.
MACS Response: MACS welcomes this approach and in particular involving Disabled Peoples' Organisations (DPOs) and disabled people in the process, reflecting that early engagement was key to success.
Transport to Health – the ATPT updated that they were working closely with Scottish Government Health colleagues to share information and engage with NHS and Health Transport Groups to meet their objective in this area. They also plan to raise awareness among disabled people and were considering the use of focus groups and regional health partnerships to do this, as well as exploring opportunities with CTA.
MACS Response: MACS welcomed the collaborative approach and the use of focus groups.
A few questions were posed for the ATPT to consider in developing their approach to this objective. These included defining the objectives, how progress will be measured and how interface is achieved with MACS' 9 recommendations from their Phase 1 work on Transport to Health and Social Care?
Blue Badge – the ATPT have concluded engagement with Local Authorities, Blue Badge holders and Healthcare Professionals to review the existing guidance they give to local authorities and are rewriting that Guidance. They will also finalise their revised Blue Badge application forms and the rights and responsibilities leaflet – which will be published alongside the guidance in 2022.
MACS Response: MACS welcomed this work and also consideration of exploring the renewal process for disabled people with lifetime conditions to prevent them having to reapply every three years.
Taxi and Private Hire Cars – the ATPT confirmed that they were working closely with MACS on this issue. They have already completed a survey of Local Authorities to better understand their provision of accessible vehicles and are engaging regularly with the Department for Transport (DfT) on their review of taxi guidance.
MACS Response: MACS welcomed the progress in this area, confirming that their Development Day in April 2022 was themed around MACS work on Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles, encouraging and asking the ATPT to contribute.
Clear Pathways – the ATPT confirmed that this work was being driven forward collaboratively with Scottish Government colleagues. The Draft Guidance (which MACS had input to) would be finalised soon and will go out for public consultation in 2022.
MACS Response: MACS welcomed the public consultation process to inform this area as it was critical to the overarching objective to remove the barriers that isolate and exclude disabled people from making their choice of successful door-to-door journeys.
Bus – this is mainly focused on audio and visual regulations which is being led by the Department for Transport (awaiting further updates on their commitment through the Bus Strategy) and also focuses on the under 22 concessionary fare being implemented in January 2022.
MACS Response: MACS sought confirmation that the bus elements of the ATF were now being progressed outwith the ATPT?
The ATPT provided some forecast projections for the ADP (Spring 2022)
Of the eight ADP Priorities the ATPT forecast that they will fully complete:
- journey planning
- staff training
- Blue Badge
- taxi and private hire car, and
- bus
MACS Response: MACS questioned the measure to confirm "fully complete" – i.e. how will we know? MACS believe that sufficient progress has not been made and there is still a lot of work to do in these areas to make transport available, accessible and affordable.
The ATPT also forecasted that they will have completed up to 80% of:
Passenger Assistance – with the only thing forecast left to do being to implement a trial of assistance at bus stations, which will be explored and undertaken in 2022-23.
Clear Pathways – MACS welcomes the move to a consultation on the guidance for inclusive design in town centres and busy street areas and look forward to final publication.
Transport to Health and Social Care – is one priority that the ATPT confirmed they would require a bit more focus on in 2022-23 and stated that they will likely only be 50% completed by Spring 2022. This is being led by Health colleagues as they move into 2022 MACS would hope to see an additional focus on the promotion of available services via Regional Health Strategic Groups that will enable this work to be close to completion. However, we anticipate that this is a priority that will be a long-standing commitment in future Annual Delivery Plans.
MACS Response: In addition to the responses above and mainly in reply to the update on Transport to Health and Social Care, MACS raised the following points for reflection by the ATPT.
MACS asked how this area can be forecasted to be 50% complete by the spring 2022 when the Scottish Government Health Directorate (Primary Care) haven't published their work plan? MACS has been working with the Scottish Government Team on this.
What were the ATPT looking to do and how would progress and more critically success be measured?
MACS also reflected that the descriptors were confusing as it mentions 50% complete by spring, then close to fully complete and then a long-standing commitment, asking for confirmation on which is was?
Overall this was a worthwhile session and MACS thanked the ATPT for the opportunity to scrutinise their work progress and input into the following years ATF ADP.
MACS also raised the issue with the lack of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Bound) objectives in their plan making it difficult to measure progress and hence the benefits to disabled people's travel experiences. This work and progress updates from the NTS2 feed into MACS work plans and areas of focus for the following year. We also note that as the Framework is now six years old, a deeper review will be required soon.
It was agreed that the ATPT would reflect on MACS comments and schedule a further stand-alone session in March/April 2022 to respond to the issues raised by MACS.