Announcement date
20 March 2024
Link to announcement
Media release: Reforming public transport to make travel accessible for all | Ministers for the Department of Infrastructure.
Problem being addressed
People with disability face challenges when using public transport such as a lack of access to physical infrastructure, difficulty in accessing information that is suitable to their needs, and challenges with safely navigating a successful public transport journey. Where a person with disability is not afforded equitable access, service or safety in relation to other passengers, this can result in discrimination.
The Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (Transport Standards) provide certainty to providers and operators of public transport services about their responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA). Outcomes from statutory reviews recognised the need to update the Transport Standards to reflect the current and future needs of people with disability and to provide sufficient flexibility or guidance to operators and providers to practically fulfil their obligations under the DDA.
Proposal
In August 2019, Transport Ministers agreed to reform the Transport Standards. This Decision Regulation Impact Statement covers the reforms outlined under stage 2 of the reform process, with the consultation and decision RIS for the stage 1 reforms available under the OBPR's published impact analyses.
These reforms aim to eliminate discrimination, as far as possible, against people with disability and provide greater certainty to operators and providers regarding their responsibilities under the Transport Standards.
Stage 2 covers 54 reform areas across 62 Chapters, which have been broken down in this decision RIS into seven sections;
- Part 1: Transport standards principles
- Part 2: Information, communication and wayfinding
- Part 3: Accessibility at stations, stops, wharves and access routes
- Part 4: Accessibility of boarding and alighting and egress of infrastructure
- Part 5: Accessibility in conveyance
- Part 6: Stage 1 reform areas and preferred options
- Part 7: Implementation approach
To identify the Decision RIS preferred package of policy options, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts considered a body of evidence from: consultation findings, a cost-benefit analysis and findings from previous reviews of the Transport Standards.
Following analysis of all available evidence, a preferred option has been identified for each reform area. The rationale for each preferred option is intended to inform a decision by governments, balancing the regulatory impacts of new or updated requirements against the overarching goal of the DDA and the Transport Standards.
Assessed RIS outcome
Compliant Decision RIS