Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has identified a) disadvantages for members of the Armed Forces community in transport usage and b) the potential for co-production of measures to help tackle those disadvantages.

The Department is committed to the Armed Forces Covenant and to supporting members of the Armed Forces community in accessing the transport system.

The Department has not identified specific disadvantages for members of the Armed Forces community in transport usage as a distinct group beyond those reflected in wider accessibility and transport disadvantage analysis. We recognise that individuals within the Armed Forces community may face particular challenges linked to mobility, relocation and access to local transport services.

The Department engages with the Armed Forces community and relevant stakeholders and will consider opportunities for co-production where appropriate, including in the development of transport policy tools and related interventions. Support is provided through the HM Forces Railcard, and the Veterans Railcard. Disabled military personnel may also be eligible for the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme where they meet the statutory disability criteria. Departmental guidance to local authorities recommends automatic eligibility for applicants in receipt of the War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement.

The Ministry of Defence has engaged with Department for Transport officials on the expansion of the Armed Forces Covenant legal duty to include transport and the extension of the duty to UK Government departments. As part of this engagement, the Department reviewed draft statutory guidance relating to the Covenant duty, including the application of the “due regard” obligation in transport policy and the treatment of military evidence of disability in relation to transport concession schemes. The Department’s views informed development of the final guidance.

Local authorities and regional transport bodies are expected to have due regard to the Armed Forces Covenant when exercising their transport functions. The Department will continue to support implementation of these duties.