It was a pleasure to speak to the honourable member for Wealden about the important subject of accessibility in rail.
I am committed to delivering on the promises made in the Department for Transport's Inclusive Transport Strategy published in 2018. By 2030, I want disabled people to have the same access to transport as everyone else, and whilst over 75% of journeys are through step-free stations, it is clear that more needs to be done.
The Department is extending our Access for All programme between 2019 and 2024, with an additional £350 million of funding. This programme has installed accessible, step-free routes at over 200 stations, and over 1,500 stations have benefited from smaller-scale access improvements.
We are continuing to work with Network Rail to speed up the delivery of tactile paving across the network, and are pressing the industry to comply with its legal obligation to ensure that work at stations meets current accessibility standards. With the launch of Great British Railways, the unitary body, accessibility will be placed at the core of its decision making, leading from the front to ensure it is prioritised in the industry.
