In the evidence we received from Arriva Trains Wales and Great Western Railway, we heard about the positive policies that are already in place. These included the ability for disabled passengers to request alternative transport to another station when the closest one is not accessible, or when, for example, lifts are out of order. However, our conversations with the petitioners, who are all frequent users of public transport—and indeed many rely solely on public transport—convinced us of the need to better promote the assistance already available.

In many ways, the issues the petitioners raised around bus services were similar. Again, we heard about good policies but had concerns that these did not seem to be reflected in the real world experience of disabled passengers. Some of the problems identified by the petitioners included the reluctance of some drivers to deploy ramps or to lower buses to kerb height, lack of time or patience allowed for passengers to get on and off safely, and drivers not stopping in suitable locations—for example where there are raised kerbs. The committee appreciates that this last issue is sometimes beyond the control of bus drivers due to other vehicles blocking access to bus stops. We also recognise that drivers face a range of pressures, not least of which is to meet timetables. These issues have recently been considered in depth by the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee, and they clearly represent significant barriers for disabled passengers.

We also heard some good examples of training practices carried out, including by Cardiff Bus and FirstGroup. However, we were concerned that not all companies apply the same standards through driver training, and we concluded that the Welsh Government should consider making a specific disability awareness module a mandatory element of the certificate of professional competence that drivers working in Wales must achieve. We are pleased that the Welsh Government has accepted this recommendation and others we made relating to bus services.

Finally, we considered taxi services. Up to now, the Assembly has possessed limited powers over the operation of taxi and private hire vehicle services. However, the Wales Act 2017 is devolving more of these powers. We were encouraged to hear about plans the Welsh Government has to update the licensing and registration regime. In particular, we believe that the Welsh Government should press ahead with the development of common national standards for all taxis and private hire vehicles. All the witnesses we heard from shared the view that the current regime is outdated and that we should strive to achieve greater consistency across services.

The committee’s intention in making this recommendation was to respond to a number of problems highlighted by Whizz-Kidz. It was clear that disabled people’s experiences of taxi services vary significantly across Wales, and between different companies and drivers. Some of the experiences that were related to us were clearly way below the standard that disabled people should be entitled to expect. These included drivers not strapping wheelchairs into vehicles, drivers starting the meter running whilst helping passengers to board taxis or to stow mobility aids, and companies refusing to accept bookings from passengers they know are disabled. We, and all the witnesses we heard from, were clear that such behaviour is unacceptable and may in some cases breach existing law. Nevertheless, we also concluded that greater clarity over the standards of service that passengers expect would be beneficial to disabled passengers and, in fact, everybody who uses taxis.

In summary, I hope that the committee’s work on this petition has contributed to identifying both why and how real improvements to the way disabled people experience public transport could be achieved in Wales. It is right to say that the Assembly or the Welsh Government cannot, currently, do all it might want to do to achieve a fully accessible public transport system. However, there is much that can be done to improve the real-world experience for people with disabilities. Much of this will require good partnership working with councils, operators and disabled people. It will also require good leadership from the Welsh Government. Our evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport, and the Welsh Government’s response to our recommendations, has given us encouragement about the commitment that exists to make the required improvements.