Transport accessibility
Updated 24 December 2008
If you have, or are aware of, other resources which would be useful to include here, please let us know.
Standards and guidelines | Standards compliance reporting | Action plans | Decisions on complaints | Exemptions (general) | Speeches | Other Commission resources | Other resources | Trains | Trams | Aviation | Buses | Taxis
Standards and guidelines
- Accessible public transport standards: see Attorney-General's site for Standards and guidelines.
- Five year review of Transport Standards
Standards compliance reporting
Australian Transport Council Ministers have agreed that jurisdictions will publicly release information on compliance with the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport on their respective websites and that this information, or links to this information,will be forwarded to HREOC for inclusion on its website.
Information from jurisdictions is available through the links below:
- Australian Capital Territory (MS Word file)
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland (Excel file)
- South Australia and part 2
- Tasmania
- Victoria and
- Western Australia .
Action plans
See our action plans register for action plans developed by transport providers and authorities to achieve accessibility
Decisions on complaints
- Commission decisions to terminate complaints in public transport complaints under the D.D.A
- .Conciliated outcomes in public transport complaints under the D.D.A.
Court decisions
Thorn v Serco (14 January 2005)
Claim of discrimination rejected: refusal of service not because of disability
Ball v Silver top Taxi Service (15 December 2004)
Less timely service for users of wheelchair accessible taxis: no direct discrimination found by booking service; no indirect discrimination by booking service since no unreasonable condition or requirement imposed by booking service
Vance v State Rail Authority of NSW
Train carriage doors closing while passenger attempting to board found negligent rather than discriminatory; rail operator found to have exrcised sufficient due diligence to prevent discrimination by employees (FMC 3 May 2004)
Exemptions
Commission decisions on exemption applications are available on our exemptions page. These decisions and conditions imposed on exemptions granted have assisted in defining rights and responsibilities during the transition towards greater accessibility and promoted increased compliance. Some exemptions in specific areas are also listed below.
Speeches and papers
- Getting there: Speech by Chris Sidoti at TRANSED 98 conference
- DDA Transport Standards: HREOC'S Role: Graeme Innes, Bus Industry Confederation conference, Perth, April 2001
Other Commission resources
Other resources
- Queensland Transport accessibility page
- Victoria Department of Infrastructure accessible transport page
- Victoria Companion Card
- VCOSS Accessible Public Transport Watch project
- Hearing Augmentation (MS Word) : A guide for meeting the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 Prepared by the Accessible Public Transport National Advisory Committee
- UK Department of Transport accessibility page
- European Conference of Ministers for Transport: Transport for People with Mobility Handicaps
- Transport policy resources from European Disability Federation
- Canadian
transport code of practice on communication with travellers with disabilities;
and Guide
to Removing Communication Barriers for Travellers with
Disabilities; see also News Release - Canadian Government
accessible transport page
- U.S. "project action" accessible transport homepage
- NZ inquiry on accessible transport : final report now available
- US Transportation Research Board:
Trains
- Exemption application: Australasian Railways Association
- Temporary exemption : Queensland Rail: TGSIs : see now also results of December 2002 national meeting
- Complaint decision: NSW CityRail station access
- Cityrail access information
- Canadian Transport Agency decision on rail access
- Level
crossing safety report: Victorian Department of Infrastructure
Trams
Melbourne trams exemption
Note: This exemption was granted regarding section 24 of the DDA prior to the introduction of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport. No application has yet been made to remake this exemption in relation to the Standards.
- First progress report on implementation of access commitments arising from HREOC exemption process.
- Commission press release
- Melbourne trams exemption decision
- Reasons for decision
- Public submissions on exemption application
- Exemption application document
Aviation
- Access to Air Travel for Disabled Persons and Persons with Reduced Mobility – Code of Practice (PDF) : UK Department of Transport
- European Union regulation on air travel and disability (PDF)
- Decision on exemption application by Airnorth
- Decision on exemption application by Kendell Airlines
- Decision on exemption application by Regional Airlines Association of Australia
- Commission decision in Michael McLean v. Airlines of Tasmania Pty Ltd
- US National Council on Disability report Enforcing the Civil Rights of Air Travelers with Disabilities (February 1999)
- US DOT accessibility information
- Canadian Transport Agency guidelines on small aircraft
Buses
- HREOC advice on application of the Transport Standards to bus stops
- BIC disability guidelines (PDF)
- NSW STA mobility aids policy
- Exemption decision: Olympic Roads and Transport Authority
- NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal decision in Moxon v Westbus (case under NSW Anti-Discrimination Act): but see now also appeal decision
- QADT decisions in
Cairns bus case:
- Harris and Pyne v Transit Australia Pty Ltd and Queensland Transport [1999] QADT 1 (25 February 1999)
- Harris and Pyne v Transit Australia Pty Ltd [2000] QADT 6 (5 June 2000)
- Harris and Pyne v Transit Australia Pty Ltd [2000] QADT 14 (17 October 2000)
- U.S. Department of Transportation rules on over the road buses
- Bus Industry Confederation site
- Greyhound accessibility information
- Speech by Commissioner Ozdowski at launch of bus industry access guidelines (5 November 2003); see also Attorney-General's press release
Taxis
- ACT Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Review 2005 (MS Word)
- HREOC Report on accessible taxis 2001
- Commission decision in Richard Adams v. Arizona Bay Pty. Ltd., Charlie Habib and Bunge Pty Ltd