The Year at a Glance – The MACS Big Ticket Items

Western Isles Accessibility Issues

MACS took sustained and strategic action to address the accessibility challenges introduced by changes to the Benbecula–Stornoway air route, following the award of a new contract.

Between April and July, MACS wrote to Ministers, and local authority leaders to raise concerns about the lack of accessibility and weak impact assessments, particularly for disabled and older people. This engagement led to an invitation to join the Western Isles Airport Consultative Committee, where MACS highlighted both the inaccessibility of the aircraft and the impact on patients travelling for healthcare.

Throughout autumn and winter, MACS was represented at a high-level Transport to Health workshop in Benbecula, where the severity of the crisis—patients missing or avoiding healthcare due to travel barriers—was laid bare. MACS reinforced the need for better coordination between health and transport services and supported calls for a dedicated working group.

In early 2025, MACS representatives inspected a proposed replacement aircraft and raised serious concerns around ongoing inaccessibility, legality, and safety. MACS also pressed for a thorough, inclusive impact assessment involving all stakeholders, particularly DPOs and NHS partners, and challenged the assumption that increasing frequency of inaccessible services could be seen as progress.

By March 2025, the MACS input was reflected in the Working Group’s final report, with a commitment to reconvene in September 2025 to review progress.

Throughout the previous year, MACS maintained a principled stance that lifeline services must be accessible to all, in line with the Equality Act.

Temporary Road Works and Public Space Access

One of MACS' standout practical advocacy efforts this year was around the impact of temporary road works on disabled pedestrians. The committee engaged directly with the Scottish Road Works Commissioner, co-developing a disability awareness training session for street works inspectors. This work culminated in a site visit, where committee members showcased real-life examples of how poor planning obstructs access. Alongside this, MACS collaborated with Living Streets Edinburgh, gathering a comprehensive set of photographic examples of improperly placed roadworks equipment. Their evidence and advocacy fed into the update of the Safety at Street Works and Road Works Code of Practice, helping ensure stronger compliance and enforcement mechanisms.

Deepening Engagement with Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs)

Throughout 2024, MACS deepened its direct engagement with DPOs across Scotland, recognising the centrality of lived experience in shaping accessible transport systems. MACS ran targeted engagement campaigns, held meetings with groups like People First, Carers Scotland, Cornerstone, and The Assembly, and developed an Engagement Plan, including strategic use of social media and the development of a MACS Slide Deck to expand MACS’ visibility. By strengthening these connections, MACS ensured its consultation responses, position papers, and event planning were grounded in the realities faced by disabled people.

Raising Standards in Rail Accessibility

Throughout 2024 and into 2025, MACS played a vital role in shaping rail accessibility policy and passenger experience improvements across Scotland. The committee supported ScotRail’s efforts to improve service for neurodivergent passengers, offering insights into environmental design, wayfinding, and communication. This work complemented MACS’ review of ScotRail’s Accessible Travel Policy, where the committee submitted detailed feedback to enhance passenger touchpoints, such as assistance requests, station signage, and staff interaction.

MACS also maintained strategic dialogue with Glasgow Clyde Metro planners, pushing for full accessibility to be embedded from the start. While the Clyde Metro project remains a future initiative, MACS’ early intervention ensured accessibility became a core delivery principle, setting the tone for long-term planning.

The committee also monitored Passenger Assist data, which showed encouraging signs of confidence returning among disabled rail users. MACS used this data to advocate for continued investment in accessible infrastructure and staff training, stressing that positive trends must be matched by action to prevent service stagnation or regression.

Finally, MACS engaged with ScotRail engineers and Network Rail pilots on train design, advocating for better carriage layouts, level boarding, and consistent accessibility standards. These touchpoints both high-level and hands-on demonstrate MACS’ comprehensive influence on rail transport reform, spanning strategy, operations, and lived experience.

Accessible Ferries – A Push for Islander Equity

Ferry travel remained a critical focus, especially for island communities. MACS engaged with CalMac, the Ferry Communities Board, and Transport Scotland, provided input on the needs of neurodivergent ferry passengers and shaping ferry specifications like the Mallaig–Lochboisdale route, to improve accessibility for all. MACS also pushed for improvements in booking systems for concessionary card users and highlighted the need for updated standards in the Scottish Ferries Plan. Input was provided on freight vessel plans for the Northern Isles, and MACS advocated for better alignment between ferry, air, and healthcare transport.

This ongoing work has reinforced the systemic nature of accessibility gaps while also ensuring MACS’ expertise is actively shaping future solutions. In recognition of our insights, we were invited to review several ferry designs, including an accessibility discussion onboard the new Glen Sannox. We also provided feedback on low sensory space designs for the MV Loch Seaforth, contributing to more supportive environments for neurodivergent passengers. Additionally, Caledonian MacBrayne hosted a call with MACS Members where we shared our insights for developing solutions to mitigate accessibility barriers—particularly those encountered during replacement services, route changes, and delays.

These engagements highlight the growing emphasis on inclusive design and the value of MACS’ advocacy in delivering tangible improvements for ferry users.

Embedding Accessibility into Active Travel and Infrastructure Design

Throughout 2024-25, MACS championed the integration of accessibility into Scotland’s evolving active travel and infrastructure strategies. With a growing national focus on low-carbon, health-promoting mobility, MACS ensured that disabled voices were not sidelined in the design of walking, wheeling, and cycling routes.

MACS participated in consultations and practical events tied to Cycling by Design, consistently raising concerns about floating bus stops, segregated infrastructure, and wayfinding. MACS provided direct feedback during events such as the Visibility Scotland urban streetscapes session and contributed accessibility insight to guidance for inclusive town centres and streets.

The committee also engaged with local authorities on infrastructure projects like the Glasgow Avenues and George Street designs, and participated in forums like the Inclusive Design in Town Centres Working Group. These engagements allowed MACS to push for guidance implementation at the local level, translating policy into practice.

Through these actions, MACS not only reviewed and responded to national strategies such as the 20-minute neighbourhood concept but grounded their feedback in lived experience, ensuring that infrastructure across Scotland evolves to support all modes of travel for all citizens.

Building MACS’ Visibility and Influence through Communications

This year saw MACS dramatically increase its communications reach and influence. An internal social media strategy and Twitter/X guide helped boost member activity online, with our previous Annual Report receiving a 50% increase in visibility. MACS joined LinkedIn and BlueSky, developed a communications and engagement plan, and crafted platform-specific content strategies. These efforts supported wider DPO outreach and raised the profile of accessibility issues through engagement with Transport Scotland newsletters, the Public Health and Sustainable Transport Conference, and Co-production Week. This proactive approach to storytelling and policy engagement reinforced MACS’ role as a national leader on accessible transport advocacy.

Continuing to Advocate for Fairness within Motability

MACS has continued its longstanding advocacy work around the Motability Scheme and the development of Scotland’s Accessible Vehicle and Equipment Scheme (AVES), with a major focus throughout 2024-25 on transparency and value for money for disabled people. We met with the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, where MACS raised four key issues: ensuring benefit uplifts truly support disabled people rather than increasing Motability Operations’ (MO) profits; encouraging the Scottish Government to push for profit-sharing with customers; establishing a Scottish Motability Users’ Group to influence AVES; and seeking clarity on the AVES Scheme’s launch timeline and new provider involvement.

MACS also met directly with the CEO of the Motability Foundation (MF) and Motability Operations, reinforcing three longstanding asks: that powered wheelchairs and scooters be retained at end of lease; extending the bereavement vehicle return policy to three months; and establishing a Scottish Accessible Vehicle and Equipment (SAVE) advisory group. The meeting included discussions on value for money, governance, and the need for profits to better benefit customers rather than being diverted elsewhere.

MACS stressed the need for practical outcomes from research and highlighted concerns around the affordability of vehicles, especially in rural and island communities. Both MF and MO appeared more open to MACS’ influence than in previous engagements, indicating potential for progress in 2025. MACS also referenced research from the National Centre for Accessible Transport (NCAT), calling for clearer actions tied to the £22 million allocated for future accessibility innovation.

Additionally, MACS is collaborating with project leads from the Motability Foundation to support the development of a DPO Insights Panel in Scotland, with engagement planned for July 2025. This partnership represents another channel for amplifying the lived experience of disabled people and embedding it in policy and programme development.