Public consultation: Legislative amendments to improve the availability of railway station accessibility data

The Ministry of Transport and Communications requests comments on a draft proposal for amending the Act on Transport Services. The amendments are scheduled to enter into force on 1 January 2024.

The amendments would improve the availability of data on railway station accessibility. They are based on an EU regulation that lays down provisions on the European Railway Station Accessibility Database (ERSAD). The database would contain information on the accessibility of railway stations concerning, for example, platform areas, services and park-and-ride facilities. 

In the draft proposal, an obligation for the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom to collect the required data and to acquire the necessary information service from the Traffic Management Company Fintraffic Ltd. would be laid down in the Act on Transport Services.  As a result of the national implementation of the accessibility data service, the operators in the sector could have access to the information. They could use the data in digital travel applications, such as route planners. Accessibility data would be included in other travel data, which is already managed by Fintraffic.

In addition, the proposal would amend the Act so that the competences of municipal and regional road transport authorities be defined by decree. At the moment, changes in the competences of public transport authorities always require amendments to the Act.

Next steps

The deadline for comments on the draft proposal is 23 June 2023. All organisations and private individuals may submit comments online at lausuntopalvelu.fi. After the consultation round, the legislative drafting will continue at the Ministry.

The aim is that the amendments will enter into force on 1 January 2024.

Inquiries:

Eveliina Uusitalo, Senior Officer, tel. +358 295 342028, [email protected] 

Tiia Orjasniemi, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 342068, [email protected]