DSAPT Amendment – Part 31 -Part 35

Schedule 31 - Part 31 (Priority) Amendments

1

Part 31 Priority

Heading change:

Part 31 Priority seating

Part 31: Heading

Conveyances-buses, ferries, rail cars, trams & light rail

Heading amendment.

New heading to confirm clause intent.

N/A - administrative amendment only.

2

31.1 Priority seating

Heading change:

31.1 Allocation of priority seating

Subsection 31.1(1)-(3): Priority seating ratio

Conveyances-buses, ferries, rail cars, trams & light rail

Section 31.1 repealed and substituted.

New clause requires a minimum of 2 priority seats on specific conveyances including priority seating ratios where more than 41 non-priority seats are provided.

Applies to:

• New conveyances; &
• Seating in existing conveyances after the 5yr transition period.

31.2 Information to be provided about vacating priority seating

Heading change:

31.2 Appearance and signage

Subsection 31.2(1)-(3): Priority seating features

Conveyances-buses, ferries, rail cars, trams & light rail

Section 31.2 repealed and substituted.

New clause requires priority seating material to provide a 30% contrast to surrounding seats for identification purposes & includes priority seating signage locations and instructions for passengers.

Applies to:

• New conveyances; &
• Seating in existing conveyances after the 5yr transition period.

31.3 Location of priority seats in conveyance

Subsection 31.3(1)&(2): Ease of identification

Conveyances-buses, ferries, rail cars, trams & light rail

New section 31.3 added.

New section requires priority seats to be located conveniently beside entry doors, the driver, accessible facilities and areas consistently staffed to ensure they are easily identified & accessible by passengers.

Applies to:

• New conveyances; &
• Seating in existing conveyances after the 5yr transition period.

31.4 Accommodation of assistance animals

Subsection 31.4(1)&(2): Space for assistance animals

Conveyances-buses, ferries, rail cars, trams & light rail

New section added.

New section introduces spaces for a person’s assistance animal under their seat to avoid separating them.

Applies to:

• New conveyances; &
• Seating in existing conveyances after the 5yr transition period.

Schedule 32 – Part 31A (Training to prevent disability discrimination) Amendments

1

Part 31A.1—Training to prevent disability discrimination

Subsection 31A.1(1)-(3): Staff training

Conveyances, premises & infrastructure

New clause added to Part 31A.

New requirement for operators and providers of public transport to provide staff with training to prevent disability discrimination tailored to each role and developed and reviewed in consultation with persons with disabilities or groups representing persons with disabilities to ensure the training is appropriate and delivered by a qualified trainer.

Applies after the 5yr transition period to operators & providers of:

• New & existing conveyances and existing trains & trams; &
• New & existing premises & infrastructure.

Schedule 33 – Miscellaneous amendments

1

Part 32 Adoption

Subsections 32.1, 32.2 (re application & target dates)

Conveyances, premises & infrastructure

Whole part repealed.

Repealed as it applies to the previous DSAPT adoption dates and not applicable to the new amendment.

2

33.1 Date for compliance with these Standards — new conveyances, premises and infrastructure

-

Conveyances, premises & infrastructure

Section 33.1 repealed.

Repealed as the previous DSAPT target dates have now passed with the exception of trains which must comply by Dec 2032.

33.2 Date for compliance with these Standards — conveyances, premises and infrastructure in use at target dates

-

Conveyances, premises & infrastructure

Section 33.2 repealed.

Repealed as the previous DSAPT target dates have now passed with the exception of trains which must comply by Dec 2032.

3

33A.1 Commission may grant exemptions

Subsection 33A.1(4)(a): Exemption process

Conveyances, premises & infrastructure

Section 33A.1(4)(a) repealed and substituted.

Amendment to generalise the name of any consultative committee required in relation to the exemption process.

4

33A.4 Review of exemptions by Administrative Appeals Tribunal

-

Conveyances, premises & infrastructure

Heading wording amendment.

Heading amended to ‘33A.4 Review of exemptions by Administrative Review Tribunal’ to update the terminology to align with the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024.

5

33A.4 Review of exemptions by Administrative Appeals Tribunal

-

Conveyances, premises & infrastructure

Wording amendment.

Amendment to change the word ‘appeal’ to ‘review’ to update the terminology to align with the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024.

6

33A.5 Publication of notice of decision

Subsection 33A.5(1): Publishing specifics

-

Items 33A.5(1)(a)-(d) repealed and substituted.

Section updated to condense the requirements and instead refer them to the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024 that contains all applicable provisions.

7

34.1 Timetable for review

Subsection 34.1(2)(a): Review

-

Subsection 34.1(2)(a) wording amendment.

Amend the word ‘Schedule 1’ to ‘these standards’ as Schedule 1 contains old target dates from the 2002 DSAPT.

8

Schedule 1 Target dates for compliance

Whole schedule

Conveyances, premises & infrastructure

Schedule removed.

Schedule removed as the target dates from the DSAPT 2002 have now passed and assumed to be complied with, except for existing trains and trams that have a compliance target date of 31^st Dec 2032 retained, and if the train/tram remains in service after this date, the new amendment is to be applied.

Schedule 34-Application and transitional provisions

1

Part 35-Application of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport Amendment 2026

New part.

Provides the requirements for the application of the Amended Standards, transitional provisions and rules specific to each asset.

35.1 Definitions for this part

New part.

Definitions added for clarity. Important definitions that dictate application & therefore must be considered before applying the amendment schedules include:

• Existing conveyances
• Existing trains and trams
• Existing premises and infrastructure
• New conveyance
• New premises and infrastructure
• Relevant approval

35.2 Application of amended Standards to existing trains and trams

New part.

The existing compliance target date of 31^st Dec 2032 for existing trains and trams has been retained, and the amended Standards are triggered after that date only if the train or tram is still in service.

Part 35 is to be checked for any additional items applicable to trains and trams.

Where an operator of an existing train or tram complies with a provision of the DSAPT Amendment 2026, compliance with the DSAPT 2002 (the non-amended standards) is also deemed to have been met for the corresponding provision.

35.3 The non-amended Standards continue to apply to existing conveyances etc.

New part.

The DSAPT 2002 (the non-amended standards) continue to apply to operators and providers of existing conveyances and existing premises and infrastructure unless otherwise noted in Part 35 of the amendment.

Where an operator or provider of an existing conveyance, premises and infrastructure complies with a provision of the DSAPT Amendment 2026, compliance with the DSAPT 2002 (the non-amended standards) is also deemed to have been met for the corresponding provision.

Division 35. 2—Application of specific amendments

New part.

Tables provided for each part to set out how the amendment applies to each asset.