Journeys by sea for thousands of passengers with disabilities are to be improved, the UK government issuing new guidance on improving accessibility to operators.
Maritime Minister Nusrat Ghani announced the publication of the Passenger Rights toolkit during a visit to Liverpool on January 22 where she met key stakeholders including Mersey Maritime, Wirral Waters and Port of Liverpool.
The toolkit provides operators in England and Wales with a high-level guide on what they must do to comply with passenger rights regulations, as well as recommendations on how maritime transport can be made more accessible.
It will apply to services such as ferries operating from Liverpool and makes recommendations on how maritime transport can be made more accessible to make journeys better for passengers with disabilities and staff.
The development of the toolkit was a commitment in the Inclusive Transport Strategy, which was published in July 2018. It sets out the government’s ambition for people with disabilities to have the same access to transport.
It’s everyone’s journey is a communications campaign developed by the Department for Transport in association with disability, transport and charity partners. The campaign aims to improve the public transport experience for people with disabilities by creating a more considerate and supportive travel environment.