Reforms to improve public transport accessibility
The Hon Catherine King MP
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
The Hon Michelle Rowland MP
Attorney-General
Joint Media Release
New rules to make public transport more accessible start today, as part of the Australian Government’s work to remove discrimination against people with disability.
The changes will improve the safety and accessibility of public transport for people with disability across the whole journey.
This includes new requirements for staff training and information sharing to better meet the needs of people with different types of disability.
The reforms also establish new and improved design requirements for public transport conveyances, buildings and infrastructure so they are safe and easy to use.
These significant reforms to the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 were developed in consultation with people with disability, the public transport industry and state, territory and local governments.
Bus, tram, train, light rail, ferry, taxi and aviation operators and providers will be expected to implement these new requirements on their services. Some of the new obligations must be implemented within set 5- or 10-year timeframes, while other changes will be required when they substantially upgrade or purchase new assets.
There is updated guidance material in the Transport Standards Guidelines to assist operators and providers to understand and effectively implement these changes.
More information about the new requirements and updated guidance material is available on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts' website, including summary documents available in Auslan and Easy Read formats.
These reforms are separate but complementary to the Government's ongoing work to co-design new aviation-specific disability standards, which will further clarify the obligations of airlines and airports to remove discrimination from their services.
Quotes attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:
“Having safe, accessible and easy-to-use public transport systems shouldn’t be an aspiration, it should be a requirement, and that’s exactly what these changes are about.
“These new standards come with clear expectations and guidance to uplift the safety and accessibility of public transport for people with disability – with some of them due to be met within the next five years.
“I thank everyone that helped inform these changes and look forward to seeing them make a real difference for people with disability.”
Quotes attributable to Attorney-General Michelle Rowland:
“People with disability have called for more to be done to ensure our public transport systems are safe and accessible – we have listened and we are acting.
“These new requirements for public transport operators and providers are part of our Government’s work to remove discrimination against people with disability.
“In partnership with industry and other levels of government, we’re working to improve the whole-of-journey experience on public transport for people with disability.”