CIHT has responded to the London Assembly Transport Committee’s call for evidence: accessibility and inclusion in transport planning. 

The call for evidence was launched on 25th September to investigate how accessibility and inclusivity are taken into account in transport planning in London.

The call for evidence set out to understand how different people use transport services across London and identify what is being done to provide accessible and inclusive transport options. The Transport Committee wished to identify additional or alternative accessibility/inclusion measures that Transport for London (TfL) could consider to improve its services and to explore how TfL works with user groups in line with its Equity in Motion plan. 

>>> Access the original call for evidence

As outlined in our manifesto: 

‘A properly funded and managed highways, transportation and infrastructure network plays an important role in addressing social inequalities. Our streets, towns and neighbourhoods should be accessible and inclusive to everyone. Considerations of diversity and working towards inclusion of everyone should be central to how we design, build, and maintain our infrastructure’.

>>> Read the full CIHT manifesto

Key points highlighted in CIHT’s response include: 

1. Meaningful and sustained engagement: CIHT recommends that TfL adopts the principle of co-cultivation to ensure that there is meaningful engagement and representation from inception and design through construction, operation, monitoring, and evaluation (rather than just consultation on a scheme). This approach encourages a shared understanding of the issues faced over the course of the design process and allows everyone with an interest in the project or that could be impacted from it, to work together towards an acceptable solution.
2. Standardised staff training: CIHT offers a range of courses via the CIHT Learn Platform to help those designing and planning transport and infrastructure to consider accessibility and inclusion in all that they do.
3. Celebrating collaboration: TfL should learn from best practice from around the world, such as the visibility of the urban planners in communities across Medellin, Columbia.

>>> Read CIHT's full response

Help & Support

If you have any queries, please email technical@ciht.org.uk