Third Review of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002

[ozbob]

The third five-year review of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (Transport Standards) was undertaken by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, in consultation with the Attorney-General's Department. The final review report was publicly released on 2 December 2021.

Part 34 of the Transport Standards requires the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, in consultation with the Attorney-General to review the efficiency and effectiveness of the Transport Standards. The final report contains 24 findings and 9 recommendations that will be considered by the Australian Government in its response to the review which is proposed to be released in early 2022.

https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/transport-accessibility/reviews-disability-standards-accessible-public-transport-2002

Third Review of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (Transport Standards) DOCX: 837 KB PDF: 4527 KB
A recording of the Executive Summary of the review report will be provided here for access shortly.

Review Issues Paper DOCX: 1870 KB PDF: 487 KB

Public submissions to the Third Review are now available.

[#Metro]

*** Discussion paper released yesterday 

2022 Review of the Transport Standards

The 2022 Review of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 discussion paper was publicly released for consultation on 22 December 2022.

Discussion paper—2022 Review of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002

https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/media/publications/discussion-paper-2022-review-disability-standards-accessible-public-transport-2002

Have your say
People with disability are strongly encouraged to share their public transport experiences, so we can take a step towards improving the effectiveness of the Transport Standards. Family members, carers and advocates, public transport operators and providers, and state or territory governments are also encouraged to share their experiences.

[SurfRail]

4 things I believe need dealing with and would be relatively easy to fix:

- Audiovisual announcements should be required for all route service buses.  It is beyond a joke that the only place in Australia that has had this as standard for new vehicles for at least a decade now is Canberra.

- No low-floor or low-entry bus should be permitted to have steps at any door (not just the front).

- Windowlines should permit visibility which means (a) tighter standards for the use of contravision (eg more permeable types only or only a smaller proportion of the glazing permitted to be covered; and (b) the exterior should be visible from any seat (ie no seats against panels).

- Interior seating layouts should be required to avoid seats that face into a wheel arch (eg up the back on most of the BCC fleet instead of positioning seats facing laterally or to the rear so you don't have to sit on the wheel arch and have your knees in your face, they just ignore it - the Yutongs on the City Loop are easily the worst for this.)