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Department of Transport (Dot) Accessibility Work Programme

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Department of Transport (Dot) Accessibility Work Programme Department of Transport (DoT) Accessibility Work Programme - Progress Report June to November 2020 The Accessibility Work Programme focuses primarily on the actions in two key “whole of Government” strategies where lead responsibility has been assigned to either the Department of Transport (DoT), or its Agencies and which relate to public transport. The 2 key strategies are 1) the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 (NDIS), which is aimed at improving the lives of people with disabilities and, 2) the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities 2015-2024 (CES) - which sets out a 10-year approach to ensuring that people with disabilities, who are able to, and want to work are supported and enabled to do so. As well as these two key strategies and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD), there are also actions in a range of other Departmental and “whole of Government” strategies, where lead responsibility has been assigned to DoT, and/or its Agencies. All of these Actions have been combined into the DoT Accessibility Work Programme. It is updated regularly to align with meetings of the NDIS Steering Group, and meetings of the DoT Accessibility Consultative Committee (ACC). Further information on public transport accessibility, including previous Work Programme Progress Reports, can be found at https://www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/705a02-accessibility-in-transport/ The actions in the Work Programme are grouped under 11 broad Themes to reflect the priority actions in the NDIS, CES, and the UNCRPD. Page 1 of 13 01. Public Transport over-arching (NDIS Actions 100 and 109- DTTAS SoS - PfG SP Action 01 - NPAS 1.5) Review of Sustainable Mobility Policy The Department of Transport (DoT) has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. Under the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 (as amended), the NTA has statutory responsibility for promoting the development of an integrated, accessible public transport network. Public transport operators, in conjunction with the NTA, are responsible for the operation of services. From a policy perspective, the Minister for Transport has said there is a need for a fundamental change in the nature of transport in Ireland and the Programme for Government, 'Our Shared Future', commits to making public transport and active travel better and more accessible. The Department of Transport has been undertaking a review of sustainable mobility policy, which incorporates accessible public transport and public transport in rural areas. In this context the Department held a public consultation process between November 2019 and February 2020, and included a stakeholder event in the course of that consultation, to which all members of the ACC were invited. Over 250 submissions were received as part of this public consultation process and a report of the public consultation was recently published online and is available at https://www.gov.ie/en/consultation/f1b503-public-consultation-on-a- review-of-sustainable-mobility-policy/ The Minister intends to develop a new policy framework for the next 10 years that can provide a strategic backdrop to the increased investment planned by this Government across the sustainable mobility programme. The new policy statement will be informed by the review of the previous policy framework (known as Smarter Travel), submissions received during the Department's consultation process and the views and recommendations of other relevant stakeholders. It will provide a platform to advance the ambitions of the Programme for Government in the area of sustainable mobility. Lift refurbishment / replacement - “The Big Lift” Lifts in rail stations out of service significantly impacts people with disabilities ability to access services. In 2020 €3.3m is ring fenced under a rail lift refurbishment / replacement programme established by the NTA under the Capital Programme. The intent of this programme is to renew and replace life-expired lifts and lifts in poor condition, to ensure that the reliability and availability of lift access. A major part of the programme is the complete lift renewal at 12 stations in the Dublin Suburban area. Works at Malahide, Donabate, Raheny and Rush and Lusk are completed. Further information on these works – called “The Big Lift “- can be found on the Irish Rail website at https://www.irishrail.ie/news/major-lift-investment- programme-at-iarnrod-eireann Page 2 of 13 Lift Call System Lift faults predominantly arise from misuse, which in turn impacts on ongoing reliability. Irish Rail is rolling out a Lift Call system which will ensure lifts are monitored by CCTV to prevent access to those who seek to vandalise or damage equipment. The Lift Call system closes off the lift and when customers call the lift, with only opening on request. In order to access the lift the customer is first required to call via the help point located at each landing of the lift shaft. The call goes to a monitored CCTV room and can see if the person requesting the lift is genuine. Benefits include: reduction in vandalism, remote fault and alarm status of lifts in service, higher availability of lift services for customers with disabilities, visual monitoring of lifts 24/7 during normal and emergency situations. The Lift Call system is now in operation at 18 stations in the Greater Dublin Area. These are Grand Canal Dock, Booterstown, Blackrock, Seapoint, Salthill & Monkstown, Dun-Laoghaire, Sandycove, Glenageary, Killiney, Shankill, Bray, Greystones, Howth Junction, Clongriffin, Bayside, Donabate, Skerries and Balbrigan 02. Public Transport Services (NDIS Action 100 - CES Action 2.10, 2.12 & 2.15 – PfG - SP Action 02 & 19 - NPAS 1.5) Covid-19 impacts on overall public transport services – (for rural areas see below - Theme 03 PT in rural areas) The Covid-19 public health emergency has been a profound and swift shock to the Public Transport sector. At the onset of the Covid-19 emergency in mid- March, there was a sharp drop in passenger numbers across all forms of public transport, falling by approximately 90% of normal levels. Since the beginning of the emergency, the Government has been clear that continued operation of the public transport sector is important and it designated public transport as an “essential service”, recognising the importance of keeping the system running especially for carrying essential workers and other passengers making necessary journeys throughout the crisis period. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has been working with all transport operators to ensure service continuity. The majority of sub-vented PSO services continued to operate on a reduced schedule, with the aim of strengthening the robustness of service delivery for longer. Measures were introduced across the public transport system, guided by NPHET and the advice of the Chief Medical Officer, including enhanced cleaning regimes and social distancing measures. From midnight Wednesday 21 October, Ireland moved to Level 5 of the Government’s Living with Covid plan until 01 December. Under Level 5 public transport will operate at 25% capacity, primarily for the purposes of allowing those providing essential services to get to work. Over-arching information on Covid-19 can be found on the Government’s portal www.gov.ie, while information specific to public transport can be found on the NTA’s website www.nationaltransport.ie and the Transport for Ireland website https://www.transportforireland.ie/news/covid-19-information/ Page 3 of 13 Public transport should only be used for essential journeys and customers should avoid peak time travel. People who can work from home should work from home and face coverings are mandatory on public transport. Examples of Impacts and measures to assist people with disabilities • Irish Rail continues to provide assistance to those who need it when boarding trains, eg mobile ramps at stations. • Floor decal stickers are being implemented on buses and coaches to highlight that the free priority seats are for those people who need them. There are also Covid-19 messages displayed on the buses asking passengers to keep the seats free downstairs for those who really need them. • Luas have Customer Assurance Officers in Pink High Visibility vests on the platforms and trams to assist all passengers. If Luas is contacted they can arrange assistance for people, keeping in line with public health guidance. • Dublin Bus Travel Assistance Scheme has been suspended in line with HSE advice on social distancing. Dublin Bus keeps the travel assistant email and phone covered for anyone looking for advice or information and there have been some enquiries to the team mainly from people with visual impairments. They are planning to do video calls to disability units so that assistance can be given to talk people through where to sit, and getting off at the centre doors. It is planned that the Travel Assistance Scheme will be back doing actual assists, once it is in line with public health guidance. Public Transport Fares The Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 provides a statutory power to the NTA to establish fares in relation to public passenger transport services. Following the establishment of the NTA in 2009, the NTA has responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services, provided under public service contracts. Over a number of years, the NTA's approach has been to gradually simplify the fare structures across bus, rail and light rail services and to move more towards a fairer, distance-based structure. For 2020, the NTA set fares by way of two determinations: the first determination made adjustments for all monthly and annual tickets (including tax saver tickets) with an implementation date of 1st December 2019, and the second fares determination addressed adjustments for all other fares with changes effective from April 2020. These fares determinations made further progress towards the fares-policy objectives.
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