Rail replacement vehicles: extension of non-accessible period, 30 September 2021

Letter allowing applications to extend the period of non-accessibility compliance for buses and coaches performing rail replacement duties.

The period of potential exemption is until 30 September 2021. Train operating companies are expected to:

source and use compliant vehicles wherever possible in the first instance, only using non-complaint vehicles that has been granted a special authorisation when other options have been exhausted

provide alternative accessible transport for disabled passengers which offers the same levels of service as those for non-disabled passengers with no detriment to those passengers when no compliant vehicle is available

ensure arrangements are made in advance during planned engineering works to ensure alternative accessible transport is readily available

This exemption supersedes the previously released extension period to 31 December 2020. This new period of special authorisations allows government and industry to continue to explore, devise and create a better and more sustainable long-term solution for providing rail replacement services are fully compliant with current public service vehicles accessibility regulations.