One of the Department for Transport’s strategic objectives is to promote greater equality of opportunity for all citizens, with the desired outcome of achieving a fairer society. The Department is looking to enhance social inclusion and the regeneration of deprived or remote areas by enabling disadvantaged people to connect with employment opportunities, key local services, social networks and goods through improving accessibility, availability, affordability and acceptability.

We investigate the needs of different social groups, including:

Children and young people

Information on transport, children and young people.

• Safe from Bullying on journeys (PDF – 504 KB)
  This guidance discusses bullying on journeys and public transport, and sets out ways in which different partners can work together to respond to and prevent bullying on journeys. It is part of a suite of guidance on preventing bullying outside of schools.

Disability

Improving transport provision for disabled people – whether as pedestrians, public and special transport users, or motorists – while also improving accessibility in public places.

• Access for disabled people

Minority, ethnic and faith communities’ transport issues

This section details how DfT is addressing the needs of minority, ethnic and faith communities with reference to public transport.

• Public Transport Needs of Minority- Ethnic and Faith Communities Guidance Pack

Older people’s transport issues

This section contains information on understanding the transport needs of older people and includes strategies and approaches that could be used to promote their greater usage of existing facilities.

• Resource guide for Local Authorities transport solutions for older people (PDF – 226 KB), 01 October 2009, last update 25 February 2010.
  The document contains information including web links and good practice examples on schemes and resources to help local authorities when considering the needs of older people for transport planning.

Social exclusion

This section contains information about the Department for Transport’s efforts to reduce social exclusion as it relates to transport issues.

• Social exclusion, 30 June 2004, late update 15 July 2008.
  Paper outlining the Department’s policy to reduce social exclusion.

Travel training schemes

• Travel Training – Good Practice Guide
  To provide guidance and to promote best practice to interested stakeholders and organisations in establishing or developing a travel training scheme, and to exchange information.
• Travel Training Discussion Document and Strategy Outline (PDF – 363 KB), 04 November 2008
  This leaflet outlines the Department’s strategy relating to travel training. It also asks questions of interested groups in order to inform the work programme for the next 12 months. In addition, it details an e-mail address for comments to be made to.
• Travel training schemes – a review of travel training schemes in England (PDF – 246 KB), 17 October 2007
  Key research findings from a review of travel training schemes in England carried out in 2006/07.

Women’s transport issues

This section contains information on understanding the transport needs of women and includes strategies and approaches that could be used to promote their greater usage of existing facilities.

• Women and public transport: the checklist
  The checklist is a series of statements, against which managers are asked to check current practice and service provision.