About DPTAC
How to contact us
The Chair of DPTAC is Jane Wilmot. The DPTAC Secretary is John Nicholls
Telephone: 020 7944 8011
Textphone 020 7944 3277
Fax 020 7944 6998
E-mail: dptac@dtlr.gov.uk
Website: www.dptac.gov.uk
Our address:
DPTAC
Zone 1/14
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DR
DPTAC meetings are usually held in DTLR's London offices
How to get to DTLR's London buildings
Copies of a DPTAC information leaflet
can be obtained free of charge from DPTAC. This leaflet is also available
in alternative formats.
Who we are
We are the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, DPTAC.
Our purpose
We have been established by an Act of Parliament
as an independent body to advise Government on the transport needs of
all disabled people across the UK.
We also advise on the built environment needs of all disabled people.
The task
This is a huge task. There are over 8.5 million disabled people in
Great Britain, who face major, widespread problems and disadvantages
on all forms of transport and in the built environment.
Our aim
Our aim is to ensure that all disabled people can go where everyone
else goes and that they can do so easily and without extra cost. We
would like to see this happen over the next 10 years.
Attitudes are changing. There has already been some progress in recent
years but it has been slow.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 created statutory rights and
obligations. Under the Act, new trains and buses must meet tough accessibility
requirements. Although this is a great improvement on where this country
was only few years ago, this Act still needs to be improved.
Our members
Our Chair is Jane Wilmot, who is deaf. There are 20 other members of
DPTAC representing a wide cross-section of disabled people and key transport
professionals with experience of disability issues, as well as representatives
from Scotland and Wales. By law, at least half of the DPTAC members
have to be disabled. At the moment, about 70% are. The Chair and members
are appointed by Ministers and serve for three years.
We have a small Secretariat with an office in London.
Our statutory responsibilities
DPTAC has a statutory duty to consider any matter referred to it by
Ministers but it can give advice on any other issue on the transport
needs of all disabled people in England, Wales and Scotland. We also
have a number of specific statutory roles.
How we work
Our role in relation to Government and industry is to give credible
advice:
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to represent all disabled people
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on legislation, regulations or guidance on transport and the built
environment and
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in response to important consultation documents.
We work closely with the Department
for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR).
Our principles in relation
to disabled people
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To take account of the broad views and experiences of all disabled
people
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To encourage disabled people to travel by public transport where
it is accessible, available and affordable.
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To ensure that all disabled people are aware of developments in
transport and access to buildings, which affect their mobility choices
and opportunities.
Our principles in advising
Government and industry
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Accessibility is a condition of any investment
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Accessibility must be a mainstream activity
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Users should be involved in determining accessibility
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Accessibility is the responsibility of the provider
Annual report
To find out about our recent activities please see our recent annual
reports:
Annual Report 2000
Annual Report 1999
Annual Report 1998
Annual Report 1997
What we cannot do
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We have no powers to investigate complaints about transport or
the built environment - However, on occasions individual cases can
inform DPTAC's thinking on wider issues.
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We can not make or enforce law - It is Government and the regulatory
authorities that enforce the law. The Disability Rights Commission
(DRC) can assist individual disabled people to enforce disability
discrimination legislation.
-
We have no executive powers - It is the DTLR, regulatory authorities,
industry, local authorities, regional agencies and devolved bodies,
such as the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly and the Mayor
of London who have specific responsibilities for transport and the
built environment.
-
We are not a campaigning organisation - Our role is to give Government
timely and credible advice which takes account of the broad views
of all disabled people.
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