Disabled passengers across England and Wales could gain clearer travel rights as the Law Commission launches a three-year review of transport accessibility legislation.
The review, commissioned by the Department for Transport, aims to simplify a legal framework described as a ‘patchwork’ of overlapping rules, difficult for passengers and operators to navigate.
It follows a 2025 Transport Select Committee report which found accessibility failings across all transport modes were having a significant negative impact on disabled people’s lives.
The committee said a substantial gap remains between rights in theory and the daily experience of those relying on buses, trains, taxis and pavements. It also described the legal framework as ‘overly complicated and fragmented’, creating barriers to enforcement.
Over the next three years, the Law Commission will examine whether laws need strengthening, enforcement powers are sufficient, and remedies adequate, while reducing the burden on individuals seeking redress.
The review will embed disabled people’s lived experiences in the design of compliance mechanisms and redress systems, and consider how laws can adapt to technology and demographic change.
A full public consultation is planned for autumn 2027, with a final report due in February 2029.
‘From speaking to passengers, I know the challenges disabled people face when travelling on our transport network,’ said Simon Lightwood, minister for roads and buses.
‘That is why I am delighted that the Law Commission has agreed to this review so we can give disabled people and transport operators the clarity and certainty they need, helping to make transport fit for everyone.’
Image: Mitchell Johnson/UnSplash
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