New report calls for overhaul of London’s transport accessibility standards

Credit: London Assembly

A report released by accessibility advocacy group Transport for All, Accessibility Review of the PTAL Index, calls for a major revision of how transport accessibility is assessed in London. The report critiques the current Public Transport Access Level (PTAL) index, used in planning, for overlooking essential accessibility factors and offers new criteria aimed at better meeting the needs of disabled residents.

Produced by Frontier Economics and Revealing Reality with funding from the Motability Foundation, the report highlights how the PTAL index’s existing metrics – like walking distance to stations and frequency of service – fail to address barriers faced by disabled people. Instead, the review suggests adding criteria such as step-free access, crowd levels and availability of toilets to provide a more inclusive approach.

Using King’s Cross, Soho and Southwark as test cases, the report reveals gaps in accessibility and provides policymakers with actionable recommendations. Green Party London Assembly Member Caroline Russell, who hosted the report’s launch at City Hall, described it as a “blueprint” for improving accessibility.

Green Party London Assembly Member Caroline Russell said: “If we want to build a city that works for absolutely everyone, then we need to start by understanding exactly what matters to disabled and visually impaired Londoners travelling around our city. I was proud to host Transport for All here at City Hall for the unveiling of their new report, which I hope will provide a much-needed blueprint for improving the way we address and expand accessibility measures in our planning policy.”

Deborah Persaud, Chair of Transport for All, emphasised that reforming accessibility measures in planning is overdue, stating, “London should be a city for everyone, but current planning systems result in many disabled people being effectively barred from parts of the city. It’s time Transport for London added accessibility measures to planning calculations, so London can start to be truly open to everyone.”