In 2024 the Department of Transport and Planning released its new Transport Accessibility Strategic Framework (the Framework) to make transport more accessible and improve transport experiences for all Victorians.
Community members had highlighted a range of barriers to transport access.
They talked about unreliable systems and services that impacted their confidence to travel including unreliable communication and infrastructure and variable staff skills. They discussed the challenges of easily connecting across the transport network (for example from trains to trams) and how it impacts people’s journeys.
The DTP team heard that staff attitudes and understanding of community needs often influence how successful a journey is and that public transport design should place passengers at the centre but often doesn’t.
The Framework was designed to focus on accessibility for everyone, including people with disability, older people, parents with young children, people travelling with luggage, and people who have a temporary injury.
It was developed with the community including people with a disability, individuals from different backgrounds, staff at local councils and tram and train drivers.
“The Framework marks a shift towards accessibility as a service rather than a compliance exercise. It highlights the importance of engaging with people with disability early in the project lifecycle for better outcomes,” says David Simmonds, Director, Transport Accessibility and Inclusion, Integrated Strategy, DTP.
It focuses on 4 areas to make transport more accessible.
The framework will be evaluated over time to ensure Victoria’s transport system is becoming more accessible and useable for all Victorians.
In prioritising accessibility and empathetic design this framework has its foundations in our values of respect, leadership and human rights.