Introduction
Transport
Scotland published its first Disability Equality Scheme and Action Plan
(DES & AP) in December 2006. The DES & AP were developed with
the extensive involvement of both disabled people and disability
organisations. Over 30 disabled access panels were involved in the
development of the DES and AP along with a number of national and local
disability organisations. The purpose of this update newsletter is to
ensure that the access panels and other disability organisations are
kept informed of our progress and aware of how to contact us.
A
number of access panels were consulted in regard to the format and
distribution of this update newsletter. The vast majority of responses
were in favour of it being emailed as a pdf to each panel who will then
be able to distribute it amongst individual members in suitable
formats. It will also be published on the Transport Scotland website.
The following six objectives were set out in the 2006 DES & AP:
- To
make Scotland’s Trunk Road Network safer and more accessible for all
users by the removal of barriers to movement along and across Trunk
Roads
- To develop all professional and technical staff
involved in the design, maintenance and operation of the Trunk Road
Network to recognise and understand the needs of disabled people
- To
ensure the design, maintenance and operation of the Trunk Road Network
meets the needs of disabled people through the involvement of disabled
people in the development of good practice guidance
- To make facilities and services more accessible from the Trunk Road Network
- To make journeys secure and comfortable for all by working with other service providers and utilising appropriate technology
- To
promote journeys by public transport by working with Local Authorities,
Regional Transport Partnerships and operators to improve access,
facilities and information at bus stops etc directly accessed from
Trunk Roads.
Continued Involvement
The
involvement of disabled people was critical to the successful
development of our DES and Action Plan. We are continuing to involve
disabled people in our work through the establishment of the Roads for
All Forum (RfAF). The group is made up of key stakeholders
representing a number of organisations including SATA, MACS, Inclusion
Scotland, SDEF, SCOTS and ACPOS. The main purpose of the group is to
provide an overseeing role for the implementation of the Trunk Road DES
& AP. Its other main functions include providing advice, reviewing
work and key government policies.
Actions
A
series of actions were set out in the action plan covering the next
three years. A summary of the 2007 actions and our progress on these
is detailed in Table 1. Below is further detail on a few of these.
1a. Trunk Road Audit:
An
action was set to audit the whole Trunk Road Network and conduct a
desktop review of existing asset information including bus stops. This
work has commenced and the entire 3,500km of trunk road in Scotland
will be audited between June and September 2007. The purpose of this
work is to create a comprehensive list of the full extent of barriers
faced by disabled people when travelling on the trunk road network.
1b. Good Practice Guide:
A
Good Practice Guide is being developed to identify examples of
technical best practice. It is hoped that this will become one of the
standard design references used by roads engineers. As part of this
process, tests of reasonableness will also be developed in order to
identify a system whereby the level of benefit can be measured against
a variety of other factors.
2a/b. Training:
Actions were set
in regard to providing training for all Transport Scotland staff and
their contractors. A brief has been developed outlining how this will
be taken forward. General awareness training will be provided for all
Transport Scotland staff and further specialist training will be
provided for all technical staff in regard to design and construction
best practice. It will also be a requirement for all contractors,
consultants etc working on behalf of Transport Scotland to undertake an
appropriate training course before commencing work. Disabled people
will be involved in the provision of this training.
Where do we go from here?
Work
will continue to progress the action plan and we will be reporting on
this through the newsletter. We welcome comments on the Scheme and
Action Plan, along with any comments and ideas. Please contact us at DED@halcrow.com.
Further Information
If
you would like any further information on Transport Scotland’s Trunk
Road Network Disability Equality Scheme and Action Plan, please refer
to the full report and appendices which are available on the Transport
Scotland website1 or send an email to: DED@halcrow.com.
1 http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/files/documents/about_us/Roads-for-All-revised.pdf
http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/files/documents/about_us/Roads-for-All-Appendices.pdf
| No. |
Description of Actions for 2007 |
Target |
Progress |
| 1a |
Audit
the whole Trunk Road Network and conduct a desktop review of existing
asset information including bus stops to identify the total extent of
all types of barrier to travel for all users of the trunk road network
|
Aug-07 |
Auditing June to September 2007 |
| 1b |
Conduct
a desktop review of good practice standards, develop appropriate
Equality Impact Assessment and Test of Reasonableness tools, agree
these through the RfAF and apply these to each barrier |
Dec-07 |
Ongoing |
| 2a |
Sponsor
and support the introduction of appropriate training programmes on
Inclusive Design for all Transport Scotland staff involved in the
design, maintenance and operation of the Trunk Road Network. This will
include general disability awareness training and specific technical
training for staff directly involved in design decisions. Develop and
introduce Equality Impact Audits to Road Safety Audits and require Road
Safety Auditors to undertake appropriate training |
Sep-07 |
Underway |
| 2b |
Provide
lectures, seminars and awareness training on Inclusive Design for
consultants, contractors and others involved in designing, constructing
and maintaining the Trunk Road Network |
Dec-07 |
Underway |
| 3a |
Reconstitute the working group as the Roads for All Forum, comprising Transport Scotland engineering staff, representative groups, Police and road transport operators |
Dec-06 |
Complete |
| 3b |
Resource Transport Scotland to ensure timeous progress with the Trunk Road Disability Equality Scheme and Action Plan |
Dec-06 |
Complete |
| 3c |
Agree
the terms of reference for the Roads for All Forum (e.g. Review
policies and standards and help to establish priorities and monitor and
review progress in addressing the actions within this plan) |
Feb-07 |
Complete |
| 3d |
Continue
the involvement with local access and other representative groups and
ensure that appropriate stakeholder groups are included on the list of
non-statutory Trunk Road consultees for inclusive design purposes |
Ongoing |
Ongoing |
| 4a |
Undertake
journey surveys to establish the access needs of people to facilities
and services and consider additional information, for example, existing
bus stop location studies |
Dec-07 |
To be commenced |
| 5a |
Capture
and evaluate information on emergency facilities and support services
on Trunk Roads, considering potential changes in telecommunication
technology |
Dec-07 |
To be commenced |
| 6a |
Consult
existing forums and stakeholders and bring forward proposals for
improving public transport infrastructure on and adjacent to the Trunk
Road Network |
Jun-07 |
To be commenced |
| 6b |
In
conjunction with the Roads for All Forum develop appropriate standards
as regards layout and access to public transport facilities on and
adjacent to Trunk Roads. Consider the scope for pilot and demonstration projects. |
Dec-07 |
To be commenced |
