The Accessible Transport Policy Commission recently held its autumn meeting on the future of coproduction and service user engagement in the transport sector. The session was chaired in Parliament by Marion Fellows MP. 

Launched in September, the Accessible Transport Policy Commission is a cross-party Parliamentary forum of MPs and Peers which convenes disabled people and transport professionals with policymakers to forge a new and more inclusive consensus about the future of the transport system.  

Emerging as a prominent theme of discussion at the Commission’s launch, coproduction is a key element of the National Centre for Accessible Transport’s (ncat) approach to shaping the future of travel.  

The meeting explored the extent to which coproduction is practiced in the transport system, highlighting examples of service user engagement for disabled passengers on Britain’s transport network.  

There was wide consensus that true coproduction requires transport organisations to involve disabled people in decision making at all levels, with effective communication that encourages disabled customers to share their insights essential to successful coproduction.  

With the transport sector often failing to understand the commercial benefits of inclusive practices, it is vital that transport organisations create multiple channels of coproduction and ensure their interactions with disabled people are meaningful and respectful of participants’ time and expertise. 

Policy Connect's Clive Gilbert reflected that:

"Industry would benefit from stronger regulation, better staff training, and greater recognition of disabled people’s expertise through employment opportunities and proper renumeration".

The session featured insightful contributions from: 

• Professor Matthew Campbell-Hill (Chair of the Disabled Person Transport Advisory Committee at the Department for Transport). 

• Victoria Garcia MBE (Accessibility and Communities Manager at Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus). 

• Brandon Peat (Accessibility and Inclusion Manager at Avanti West Coast). 

For more information on the Accessible Transport Policy Commission, please contact clive.gilbert [at] policyconnect.org.uk.