ATOC celebrates 25 years of the disabled persons railcard

1981 was the International Year of Disabled Persons when the railways launched of the Disabled Persons Railcard.

On 6th September 2006, the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) and BT will host a 25th Anniversary celebration where past, present and future of the card will be commemorated.Four key announcements will be made during the event:

• The launch of the new three year Disabled Person's Railcard
• Extended eligibility for the DPRC to include a further 160,000 people
• Launch of a Human Rights Award for disabled people's favourite Train Operating Company to be run as part of the Royal Association for Disability & Rehabilitation's (RADAR) annual Awards
• ATOC issues a call for feedback from disability advocacy organisations as to their views on rail travel and disabled people over the next 25 years.

Commenting about the introduction of the three year card, David Sindall, Head of Disability and Inclusion said

"The Disabled Person's Railcard has seen significant growth over the last year and we expect that there will 90,000 DPRCs in circulation before the end of this year, with 100,000 card holders being reached in 2007. With the extended eligibility for the DPRC we hope to see the membership to continue to grow."

He continued: "From 6th September disabled people will be able to choose between a new three year rail card and the traditional one year card. ATOC's market research has indicated that many existing Disabled Persons Railcard holders wanted a longer lasting card that allowed them to avoid renewing their card on an annual basis. The new three year card offers the same benefits as the one year card but will remove the inconvenience of having to renew every 12 months."

ATOC will continue to offer the one year Disabled Persons Railcard and are committed to giving disabled passengers as much choice as possible."

The one year card will increase in price from £14 to £18, making the DPRC £2 cheaper than the all other Railcards with the added benefit of offering a third off for a companion travelling with a disabled person using the card. This is the first increase since 1992 and the price has been frozen at £18 for the next three years. The three year card will cost £48, or just £16 for each year’s validity.

ATOC has also extended eligibility for the DPRC to include the following categories increasing the number of people eligible by an additional 160,000 people who have historically fallen outside the criteria e.g. people with learning difficulties.

The criteria have been extended to include those eligible for the Disability Living Allowance (DLA). This means that people who claim the lower rate mobility component of DLA now qualify for a card.

Those claiming long-term incapacity benefit are also now eligible.

Speaking at the event at the BT Tower to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Disabled Person's Railcard, Gillian Merron Transport Minister said; The Disabled Persons Railcard has encouraged disabled passengers to make journeys that they might otherwise have felt were unaffordable. My hope is that through the combined efforts of the rail industry and Government, many more disabled people will come to see rail travel as a real option. Schemes like this and Access for All are making this possible."

Tim Smart, CEO BT Global Services UK, also congratulated the DPRC on it's success; "BT is delighted to have played its part in making the Disabled Person's Railcard such a success. This Railcard can make a real difference to people's lives so it is crucial that customers contacting the call centre receive a reliable and efficient service.

Working with ATOC and the DPRC for nearly ten years, our award winning contact centre has assisted tens of thousands of people, helping them to access vital information when and how they need it. We look forward to continuing to deliver this world class service."