London mayor’s first disability action plan is a ‘starting point’, as focus turns to implementation

Disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) in the capital say the mayor of London’s first disability action plan is only a “starting point” in improving life for disabled Londoners, but that it is now crucial to “turn those commitments into reality”.

DPOs and disabled Londoners played a significant part in an “extensive” engagement exercise that led to this week’s publication of the Action Plan for Deaf and Disabled Londoners 2026.

Among Sadiq Khan’s pledges are to improve the provision of accessible advice; to work on safer and more appropriate ways for disabled Londoners to report crime; and to fund increased provision of accessible accommodation for survivors of domestic abuse.

He also promises that Transport for London will improve disability equality training for staff and taxi drivers; and that his Greater London Authority (GLA) will strengthen its engagement with disabled Londoners.

Inclusion London*, which supported GLA as an independent partner on its “extensive” engagement process, said the plan offered a “clear vision across a range of key themes and makes a number of important commitments”.

It said: “While no single strategy can immediately resolve the deeply rooted systemic challenges facing Deaf and disabled Londoners, this plan is a starting point to better, more inclusive policy-making, that could lead to a real difference to the lives of disabled Londoners in the long run.”

Tracey Lazard, Inclusion London’s chief executive, added: “Whilst at this time not every action suggested by our community was included in this first action plan, the focus now must shift to ensuring the plan is implemented fully and the visions set out in key policy areas are used to guide policy-making in London for years to come.”

Inclusion London said it particularly welcomed measures such as those on data collection; awareness-raising; and involving disabled people in holding GLA accountable for its programmes and policies.

But it promised to continue to push for other measures the mayor did not accept, including a London-wide needs assessment for disabled Londoners; a pause on introducing more bus stop bypasses until safety concerns are addressed; and research on the extra costs of delivering wheelchair-accessible affordable housing.

Pippa Maslin, policy and campaigns manager at Merton Centre for Independent Living, said: “The creation of a regional strategy dedicated to addressing the needs of Deaf and disabled people has real potential to be a game changer, and we hope that everyone with the power to implement its aims will get on board and work hard to make our capital a more equitable place to live, work and visit.”

The plan was launched this week at the offices of Action on Disability (AoD)*, a DPO based in west London.

David Buxton, Action on Disability’s chief executive, said the action plan was a “positive and important step forward” but “should be judged by what actually changes for disabled Londoners over the coming years and whether disabled people themselves can see and feel that difference”.

He told Disability News Service: “For me, one of the most important aspects of the plan is the commitment to work with disabled Londoners and DPOs.

“We have spent many years arguing that policies affecting disabled people should not simply be developed for us, but with us, drawing directly on our lived experience and the social model of disability.

“There are many important priorities within the plan, but the real test now will be implementation.

“We need to see the commitments translated into practical and measurable changes in disabled Londoners’ everyday lives, with clear accountability, timescales and evidence of progress.

“London DPOs and our disabled members must continue to scrutinise the plan and hold the mayor and GLA to account for delivering what has been promised.”

He said one gap in the action plan was the need for senior disability leadership within GLA, to follow the example of the late David Morris, a former AoD director who became the first disabled person to lead disability work within GLA, under former Labour mayor Ken Livingstone.

Buxton said such an appointment would “help drive forward the disability action plan, challenge barriers internally and externally, and maintain pressure across different policy areas to ensure that the commitments approved by the mayor are actually delivered”.

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said in a statement: “Since becoming mayor, I’ve made it my mission to make our city fairer and more inclusive for all Londoners, and through this plan I’m committing to redoubling our efforts to improve the lives of Deaf and disabled Londoners.

“By listening to Londoners and working closely with partners, we have created a plan that will tackle the transport, employment, housing, safety and cost-of-living challenges they face.”

*Inclusion London and Action on Disability are DNS subscribers

Picture: At the action plan’s launch, (from left to right) David Buxton, Tracey Lazard, Inclusion London’s Svetlana Kotova, and Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard, deputy mayor for communities and social justice