GOVERNMENT NEWS
NETWORK News Release (DPTAC) issued by The Government News Network
on 7 November 2007
Issued on behalf
of the DPTAC
This afternoon Neil Betteridge, DPTAC Chair, launched the revised
Small Bus Specification at the Community Transport
Association's Conference at Manchester's GMEX.
The Revised Specification is designed to harmonise standards for
buses not used on local services with those used on local services
by recommending they too should be low floor. The original
guidance, published in 2001, recommended separate specifications
for these services. DPTAC did not believe the time was right then
to require industry to adopt the higher standards for buses not
used on local services. However, the Committee stated its
intention to publish new guidance in 2007 with a low floor
specification for all small buses. This it has now done.
Launching the revised specification Neil Betteridge said
"The case for low floor design is a strong one. In this day
and age it should be unacceptable for wheelchair users to require
a lift just to board a bus. Recent research published by the
Transport Research Laboratory show most disabled people, not just
who use a wheelchair, found low floor buses easier to board than
those fitted with a lift".
Copies of the revised specification are available free of charge
from DPTAC, 4/24 Great Minster House, 76 Marsham St, SW1P 4DR or
from our website http://www.dptac.gov.uk/
Notes to Editors
1. The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) was
set up under the Transport Act of 1985 to advise Government on the
transport needs of all disabled people. It has a maximum of 20
members (of whom at least half must be disabled people),
representing a wide range of transport interests. Members are
appointed by Ministers and are unpaid, apart from the
reimbursement of expenses.