About DPTAC

• Our strategy for 2007-10

• Work programme for 2008-09

• Minutes of our main committee meetings

• Communication strategy
• Press notices
• Consultation responses
• Freedom of Information - publication scheme
• Annual report

• Who we are
• Our purpose
• The task
• Our aim
• Our members
• How to become a member
• Our statutory responsibilities
• How we work
• Our principles in relation to disabled people
• Our principles in advising Government and industry
• What we do not do
• How to contact us

Minutes of our meetings

24.06.09: Minutes of Main Committee Meeting
26.03.09: Minutes of Main Committee Meeting

• Previous Committee Meeting Minutes

Who we are

We are the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, DPTAC.

The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee has published a leaflet, Who We Are and What We Do (Adobe Acrobat- 209kb), containing a summary of the aim, role, and objectives of the Committee. Hard copies are this leaflet can be obtained by contacting the DPTAC secretariat.

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.

The task

This is a huge task. There are over 9.8 million disabled adults 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

The Chair of DPTAC is Dai Powell. There are 18 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 80% are. The Chair and members are appointed by Ministers and serve for three years. We have a small Secretariat with an office in London.

• Membership as of July 2009

How to become a member

The Department for Transport trawl, seeking applications for DPTAC membership closed on Friday 13 March 2009. Further information regarding this trawl can be obtained by contacting the DPTAC Sponsorship team within the Department for Transport.

Links to any future trawls will be placed here and further information will be made available on the Department for Transport recruitment webpage.

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:

• to represent all disabled people

• on legislation, regulations or guidance on transport and the built environment and

• in response to important consultation documents.

We work closely with a range of bodies that include Department for Transport (DfT), the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland. We have established a concordat with the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland.

Our principles in relation to disabled people

• To take account of the broad views and experiences of all disabled people

• To encourage disabled people to travel by public transport where it is accessible, available and affordable.

• 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

• Accessibility is a condition of any investment

• Accessibility must be a mainstream activity

• Users should be involved in determining accessibility

• Accessibility is the responsibility of the provider

Annual report

To find out about our recent activities please see our recent annual reports:

• Annual Report 2008-2009

• Annual Report 2007-2008
• Annual Report 2006-2007
• Annual Report 2005-2006
• Annual Report 2004-2005

• Previous Annual Reports

What we cannot do

• 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.

• We can not make or enforce law - It is Government and the regulatory authorities that enforce the law. The Equality and Human Rights Commission can assist individual disabled people to enforce disability discrimination legislation.

• We have no executive powers - It is the DfT, 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.

How to contact us

Telephone: 020 7944 8011
Textphone: 020 7944 3277
Fax: 020 7944 6998
E-mail: dptac@dft.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.independent.gov.uk/dptac

Our address:

DPTAC
2/23 Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DR

DPTAC meetings are usually held in Department for Transport (DfT) London offices.

How to get to DfT's London buildings

Copies of a DPTAC Information Leaflet (Adobe Acrobat- 209kb) can be obtained free of charge from DPTAC. This leaflet is also available in alternative formats.

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