CD ROM containing:
• Copies of all speaker presentations
• Speaker biographies and any additional papers they have supplied

Local transport authorities are now moving to complete their first accessibility plan, based on work with partners in other sectors over the last eighteen months. This period has seen development in practice of Government guidance, with a lot of experience built up in both analytical and partnership work. This experience has varied widely across different authorities, reflecting local issues, organizational structures and availability of information.

Central to these is the effectiveness of partnership working. What do managers in the health, education and employment sectors want from the process and what have they contributed to understanding the problems? How have partners worked together to achieve practical joint solutions that go beyond mere transport projects?

And, of course, the needs of dependent groups must be at the core of accessibility strategies. These in turn should be fully incorporated within the principles and programmes for the final second Local Transport Plans. Accessibility has to become a permanent focus within all aspects of transport planning, not just a one-off exercise. Accessibility planning has not proved an easy process but it has started opening up opportunities to make better use of available resources.

The conference will review these issues and opportunities It will share the experiences of local transport authority managers, professionals from other sectors, specialist consultants and, not least, client groups. It will set out the problems that do exist but also illustrate the potential that accessibility planning offers for addressing them. It will form a valuable opportunity for those working in the field to benefit from a range of expertise and gain a clearer understanding for taking forward their own work.

Chairs:
Francis Terry, Transport Policy Adviser/Senior Associate, Social Research Associates

John Deegan, Strategic Director for Environment & Economy, Warwickshire County Council and Vice President, County Surveyors’ Society

Speakers:
Derek Halden, Director, Derek Halden Consultancy

Alan Burnett, Policy Officer – Community Living, Help the Aged

Trevor Mason, Principal Engineer, Policy, Hertfordshire County Council

Burney Johnson, Head of Transport Strategy & Design, Durham County Council

Neil Vincent, Team Leader, Integrated Transport, Medway Council

Peter Hardy, Director & Sarah Wixey, Senior Transport Planner, JMP Consulting

David Davies, Transport Project Manager, Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority

John Davies, Professor of Education, Centre for Research in Education & Democracy, University of the West of England

Paula Coppell, Partnership Officer, Merseytravel

Adrian Smith, Principal Planner (Transport), Joint Structure Plan Group, Lancashire County Council

Derek Palmer, Programme Manager, ‘withinreach’