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Your Rights When Accessing Transport Services in Northern Ireland

Failing to make a reasonable adjustment

A transport service provider fails to make a reasonable adjustment if that failure has the effect of making it impossible or unreasonably difficult for the disabled person to make use of the service and they cannot show that the failure is justified. For further information see page 33 of the Code of Practice.

Reasonable adjustments can include providing auxiliary aids, adapting a policy or taking steps ro overcome barriers disabled people face when trying to access a service.

Examples of making a reasonable adjustment

A taxi driver has maps of the local area onboard for use by hearing impaired passengers so that he can show the passengers where they are going. He also carries a pen and paper to write down any messages for hearing impaired passengers. This would be a reasonable adjustment as he is providing an auxiliary aid to any disabled passengers that might use his taxi.

As part of general customer service information on its train services, a train operator indicates that if a passenger cannot access the cafe bar for a disability-related reason, they are welcome to an at-seat service and should ask a member of the onboard staff for assistance. This helps to ensure that the train buffet services are accessible to disabled people.

A tour company that runs coach tours is printing new leaflets and timetables. It gets advice from a disability organisation and as a result it prints all of the materials in an accessible format and provides the timetable in Braille and audio tape upon request. This means that a passenger with a visual or hearing impairment can access this service. The company has anticipated the needs of passengers with visual or hearing impairments and has already taken all reasonable steps to ensure that they can access the tour.