1. Update on Accessibility and Transport
Presentation to the NDISSG April 2018

2. Buses Dublin Bus Fleet is 100% accessible
Regional cities fleet is 100% accessible
86% of coach fleet is wheelchair accessible, this will increase as the coach fleet is replaced
10% of public transport services are delivered by commercial operators licenced by the NTA. 16% of these services have low floor wheelchair accessible vehicles. A further 28% have vehicles with lifts suitable for wheelchair access
All city bus stops are fully accessible where there is a hard standing at the stop
Limited number of accessible bus stops in rural towns
NTA, Bus Éireann and CIÉ are progressing a comprehensive programme of bus station upgrades

3. Light and Heavy Rail Services
All of the Luas services have been designed to be fully accessible
All of Iarnród Éireann Fleet fully accessible internally
Advanced notice is required for ramp deployment on platforms. A pilot project to reduce the advance notice period from 24 to 4 hours is operating successfully since end of January 2018
118 of 144 stations on the Iarnród Éireann network have received accessibility upgrades or were constructed new to full accessibility standards.
An accessibility audit in 2014 identified 54 stations that require enhancement. 22 of these have had works completed including Connolly station. €1 million has been allocated to this project in 2018.

4. Taxi Regulation
Since 2010 the only new vehicle licences issued are for wheelchair accessible vehicles
New regulations introduced in 2014 allow for smaller and less expensive wheelchair accessible vehicles to operate as taxis and hackneys
WAV grant scheme has been operational since The number of WAV’s in the fleet has increased from 860 in 2014 to 1,555 in % of the fleet are WAV’s.
Strict terms and conditions apply to the grant to ensure vehicles are used for intended purpose and disability awareness training is a condition of the grant. Training is provided free of charge by the NTA/IWA

5. Rural Transport Programme
Local Link provides demand responsive door to door services for all including users with disabilities
38.7% of services are fully accessible and a further 22.9% are partially accessible
Many of the services have passenger assistance on board
All Local Link services are currently being retendered and will include a provision that all services must be fully wheelchair accessible within 2 years of contract award

6. Travel and Service Information
Dublin Bus operates the Travel Assistance Programme across all modes
PR/awareness campaign launched in October 2017 to prioritise wheelchair users on buses – Don’t buggy in the wheelchair space
Real time arrival information is available for each stop on bus and rail services on web, smartphone app and sms messaging service
Visual and next stop announcements available on all Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann city services
Next stop announcements audio and visual are available on all intercity and commuter rail services

7. Awareness Training and Support
Disability awareness training is provided by all transport operators
User groups have been established by all transport providers
An accessibility officer has been appointed by each operator
Quarterly progress report by NTA on actions to the department’s accessibility consultative committee

8. What Needs to be Done
Bus Fleet – in conjunction with Bus Éireann introduce low floor single deck vehicles to replace high floor coaches on services <50km
NTA has commenced a full audit of existing infrastructure. NTA will continue to roll out the accessible bus stops programme on a route by route basis the aim being that all main towns have at least one wheelchair lift accessible bus stop in each direction
Bus stations – work closely with Bus Éireann to ensure a comprehensive programme of station upgrades continues
Publish proposals later this year which will set out minimum accessibility standards for commercial public transport services

9. What Needs to be Done
Continue to fund accessibility upgrades at rail stations
Next stop announcements on DART require a complete upgrade and scoping of this project has commenced.
Upgrade DART in station information
Continue to engage with disability user groups to enhance services across all modes