Section 21 Bus network accessibility plansI1I2

In the Transport Act 2000, after section 113B insert—

“Bus network accessibility plans: England

Bus network accessibility plans

113BA

(1)

A local transport authority whose area is in England must, before the end of the period of one year beginning with the day on which this section comes into force, publish a bus network accessibility plan in relation to the authority’s area.

(2)

A bus network accessibility plan must—

(a)

identify what (if any) provision is made to assist persons with disabilities to travel on local services that have one or more stopping places in the authority’s area;

(b)

set out the extent to which, in the authority’s opinion, the provision made in the authority’s area enables persons with disabilities to travel on such local services independently, and in safety and reasonable comfort;

(c)

describe what (if any) further action the authority intends to take to enable persons with disabilities to travel on such local services independently, and in safety and reasonable comfort.

(3)

The authority must review the plan—

(a)

if there is a substantial change to the provision of local services in the authority’s area, and

(b)

in any event, at least once every three years.

(4)

The authority must alter the plan—

(a)

following any review carried out as required by subsection (3)(a), or

(b)

if the authority considers it appropriate to do so for any other reason.

(5)

The authority may replace the plan as they think fit.

(6)

In preparing and reviewing a bus network accessibility plan, a local transport authority must consult—

(a)

persons operating local services in the authority’s area,

(b)

such persons with disabilities who are users or prospective users of local services, or such organisations appearing to the authority to represent such persons, as they think fit, and

(c)

any other persons whom the authority considers it appropriate to consult.

(7)

In this section “persons with disabilities” means persons who have a disability within the meaning given by section 6 of the Equality Act 2010.”