Accessibility Planning, Training & Advisory ProgrammeMaking the connections—making it happen

Putting Accessibility Planning withinreach!

Derek Palmer Programme Manager

Scottish Accessibility Briefing 13 April 2005

What is accessibility?

Accessibility means whether someone is able to reach the key services they need, either by travelling to these services or by the services being available where they are.

What is accessibility planning?

“Accessibility planning focuses on promoting social inclusion by tackling the accessibility problems faced by those in disadvantaged groups and areas.” “It sets a framework for local transport authorities to work with their partners to tackle poor accessibility.”“It is particularly focussed on access to those opportunities that are likely to have the most impact on life chances: employment, education, health care and food shops.”''It is not just about transport - the location of services and the way they are delivered has as significant an influence on accessibility as transport provisions.”Accessibility Planning guidance

Why is accessibility planning important?

The Prime Minister, in his foreword to Making the Connections (SEU, 2003), said that accessibility planning…

‘..offers a new way to find and solve local problems, checking whether people experiencing social exclusion can reach the services they need, and identifying action to take if they can’t. Action could be through improving public transport, introducing more innovative travel options, or changing the location or delivery of the services people need.’

Key barriers to accessibility

• Availability and physical accessibility of transport

• Cost of transport• Services and activities located in inaccessible

places• Safety and security• Lack of information and limited travel horizons

Access to local facilities

Access without a car

Public transport security

Transport costs

Sectors affected by accessibility

• Health• Education• Employment• Fresh food shopping• Leisure

Accessibility planning: what does it involve?Five stages:

1. Strategic accessibility assessment — identifying accessibility problems systematically and objectively

2. Local accessibility assessment — guide development and delivery of measures

3. Option appraisal and identification of resources — identifying local problems and appropriate solutions

4. Action plan preparation — refining potential actions

5. Performance monitoring — establishing indicators and targets

Not just about transport: location and delivery of services important

Stages of accessibility planning

Deadlines

• July 2005: LTP submission• July 2005: Framework Accessibility Strategy to be

submitted as part of LTP

• March 2006: Full LTP submission• March 2006: Full Accessibility Strategy to be

submitted as part of Full LTP

Why are LTAs involved?

• DfT has overall responsibility for the SEU report's implementation, monitoring progress, evaluation, & long-term policy development, & leads a cross-departmental team of officials who are responsible for implementing their Department's policies

• DfT expects LTAs to take accessibility planning forward at the local level engaging other local authority departments & outside stakeholders as necessary

Accessibility planning aims to…

• Make it easier for people to get to work• Help to reduce health inequalities• Help to increase participation and attainment

in education & training• Provide better opportunities for those without

access to a private car• Reduce social exclusion

Aims of withinreach

“To support and advise local transport authorities (in England, outside London) in implementing accessibility planning; and to develop and maintain a framework to facilitate development of, and dissemination of good practice on accessibility planning.”

The withinreach Programme

1. withinreach programme office2. DfT/ CLWGAP meetings3. LTA surveys4. Engagement with LTAs5. Engagement with OGDs, LG bodies and other

stakeholders6. Learning toolkit 7. Research8. Site Specific Advice (SSA)9. Action Learning Programme (ALP)

Assistance for LTAs

• withinreach Programme Office (advice & information)– Tel: 020-7910-5800– Email: info@within-reach.org.uk

• Website– www.within-reach.org.uk

• Learning toolkit• Workshops and seminars• Feedback• Site Specific Advice or Action Learning Programme

withinreach: what it does and does not do

withinreach does not:

Prepare accessibility strategies

Prepare Local Transport Plans

Support Accession

Undertake modelling

Provide free SSA or ALP

withinreach does:

Provide information

Provide advice

Develop the toolkit

Develop learning materials

Maintain website

Promote engagement

Assist LTAs

Liaise with OGDs etc

Guide research

How we see accessibility planning

• Accessibility Planning is a major contributor to modernising services, a tool to that end

• LTAs and transport planners are the means to that end

• Accessibility Planning provides evidence for LTPs• Accessibility Planning identifies key needs for

transport & access in the context of community strategy development, local development frameworks & local transport planning

• It must be inclusive - partners & stakeholders are important to its successful delivery

• Partnership is the means to effective delivery

What is a partnership?

“Partnership is the temporary suppression of mutual loathing in the pursuit of hard cash”

Local Transport Today 4 Nov 2004

A Partnership is…

….a joint venture involving collaboration between different partners for mutual benefit.

Research results to date

• Variety of experience & understanding of process• Considered as ‘new’ rather than ‘re-branding’• Reliance on DfT guidance• Concerns over data quality & availability• Concerns over modelling• Partnerships being developed, some in place• Concerns over ability to maintain Partnerships• Lack of resource offers from Partners• Links to/from LTP uncertain• Poor project management to develop LTP/ASBUT• Some LTAs making rapid progress

withinreach – where next?

• Next steps:– Toolkit publication – Roll-out of ALP & SSA – Further surveys – Regional Engagement Pilot – Continual development of website– Regional workshops

• Longer term:– withinreach continues until Dec 2006– Will recommend to DfT on future of programme

Lessons for Scotland

• Accessibility Planning is the way forward for local transport planning

• Provide clear guidance for practitioners• Accessibility Planning is more than modelling • Emphasise the importance of Partnerships• Train professionals well in advance• Do not expect too much too soon

Thank youAccessibility Planning, Training & Advisory Programme