Rail accessibility

Accessibility improvements, regulations and compliance for trains and rail stations.

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Guidance and regulation

• Accessible railway stations: design standards
  • Guidance
  • 31 December 2020
  • Department for Transport
• Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations: exemption orders
  • Guidance
  • 10 December 2025
  • Department for Transport
• Exemptions from rail vehicle accessibility regulations and their expiry dates
  • Guidance
  • 6 October 2015
  • Department for Transport
• Rail vehicles built or refurbished to modern accessibility standards
  • Guidance
  • 8 July 2020
  • Department for Transport
• Arriva Rail London: accessibility compliance dispensation
  • Guidance
  • 31 December 2019
  • Department for Transport

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News and communications

• Improving accessibility at railway stations across Britain
  • 15 January 2026
  • Department for Transport
  • Written statement
• New tech to make rail replacement travel more accessible
  • 13 May 2025
  • Department for Transport
  • Press release
• Rail interoperability: exemptions and decisions
  • 24 October 2024
  • Department for Transport
  • Decision
• Belmont trains boosted with £14.1 million (Levelling Up Fund 2)
  • 19 February 2024
  • Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
  • Case study
• £50m investment for travel improvements in Cornwall (Levelling Up Fund 2)
  • 19 February 2024
  • Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
  • Case study

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Research and statistics

• Disabled Persons Railcards (DPRC) and assisted journeys: 12 October 2025 to 3 January 2026 (Periods 8 to 10)
  • 2 April 2026
  • Office of Rail and Road
  • Official statistics
• Passenger lifts at stations: 1 April 2025 to 11 October 2025 (Periods 1 to 7)
  • 29 January 2026
  • Office of Rail and Road
  • Official statistics
• Heavy rail fleet accessibility compliance: Great Western Railway Class 230
  • 28 January 2026
  • Department for Transport
  • Research
• Disabled Persons Railcards (DPRC) and assisted journeys: 20 July 2025 to 11 October 2025 (Periods 5 to 7)
  • 15 January 2026
  • Office of Rail and Road
  • Official statistics
• Disabled Persons Railcards (DPRC) and assisted journeys: 1 April 2025 to 19 July 2025 (Periods 1 to 4)
  • 16 October 2025
  • Office of Rail and Road
  • Official statistics

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Policy papers and consultations

• RVAR 2010 exemption: Hayling Light Railway Trust
  • 10 December 2025
  • Department for Transport
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 16 August 2024
• RVAR 2010 exemption: Festiniog Railway Company
  • 5 December 2025
  • Department for Transport
  • Closed consultation
  • Date closed 09 January 2026
• Rail vehicle dispensation: Great Western Railway Class 230 fast charge unit
  • 26 September 2025
  • Department for Transport
  • Closed consultation
  • Date closed 24 October 2025
• RVAR 2010 exemption: London Underground Limited Waterloo & City line
  • 4 June 2025
  • Department for Transport
  • Closed consultation
  • Date closed 02 July 2025
• Accessible railways roadmap
  • 5 November 2025
  • Department for Transport
  • Policy paper

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Transparency and freedom of information releases

• Railway stations awarded Access for All accessibility funding
  • 24 May 2024
  • Department for Transport
  • Transparency
• Rail vehicle accessibility regulations exemption orders: annual report 2018
  • 8 July 2020
  • Department for Transport
  • Corporate report
• Rail vehicle accessibility regulations exemption orders: annual report 2019
  • 8 July 2020
  • Department for Transport
  • Corporate report
• Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations exemption orders: annual report 2017
  • 16 October 2018
  • Department for Transport
  • Corporate report
• Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations exemption orders: annual report 2016
  • 20 December 2017
  • Department for Transport
  • Corporate report

See more transparency and freedom of information releases in this topic

Organisations

• Department
  for Transport

• Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee