Appointment of Members of the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland

MOBILITY AND ACCESS COMMITTEE FOR SCOTLAND

This is a great opportunity to influence transport policy and transform the landscape of Scottish transport, making it more inclusive and equitable for everyone. Accessibility to public appointments is a fundamental requirement and the public appointments process promotes, demonstrates, and upholds equality of opportunity and treatment to all applicants. The Scottish Government will always consider disability-related reasonable adjustments that an applicant might request to enable them to meet the person specification and participate fully in the selection process.

The Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) was established in 2002 and is an advisory non-departmental public body The Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland Regulations 2002.

This founding legislation requires the convener of the committee and at least 50% of members be disabled persons. 

The Convener and Members are appointed by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport. MACS was formally constituted under Section 72 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001.

The Committee has two statutory functions: 

• to consider such matters relating to the needs of disabled people in connection with transport as the Committee think appropriate; and 
• to give advice to the Scottish Ministers in relation to such matters as the Committee think appropriate.

MACS overarching strategic remits are to:

• give Scottish Ministers advice on aspects of policy, legislation, and practice affecting the travel needs have disabled people;
• take account of the broad views and lived experiences of disabled people when giving advice;
• encourage awareness amongst disabled people in Scotland of developments which affects their mobility, choices, and opportunities;
• work closely with Transport Scotland and Scottish Government to ensure their respective work programme complements the work being undertaken by the Inclusive Mobility and Transport Committee (IMTAC), the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), the Equality and Human Rights Commission and other organisations - voluntary and statutory;
• promote the travel needs of disabled people with designers including transport planners and operators so that these are fully considered in the development of vehicles, infrastructure, and delivery of services;
• monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their work against the above aims and objectives in improving travel opportunities for disabled people in Scotland.

Members Role

As a Member of MACS, you will be expected to represent the views and experiences of disabled people in Scotland, with regard to travel and transport, to the Scottish Government, Transport Scotland and other bodies and stakeholders.  Therefore, appointees must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of travel and transport issues of disabled people. 

You will also be expected to work with other members including as part of a workstream team.  Members work across all of travel and transport modes under different workstream themes.

Further Information

For further information about the work of the Committee, and the role of a MACS Member, please contact the MACS Secretariat at MACS@gov.scot.

You can find out more about MACS here.  You will also wish to read the MACS Code of Conduct.

Full details about the role are set out in the Applicant Information Pack.

Skills And Experience

Essential Criteria

You will need to demonstrate evidence of the following:

1. 1. Understanding and awareness of the challenges that disabled people face while travelling (by public transport, active travel, shared/ community transport or taxi, or by private car);
2. 2. Seeing the bigger picture;
3. 3. Constructive and supportive when communicating with others;
4. 4. Working co-operatively and collaboratively. 

Desirable Criteria

It would be desirable if you demonstrated evidence of the following:

5. Understanding and awareness of the challenges that disabled people face in remote, rural and island areas.

6. Leadership.

How To Apply

In your application, please demonstrate evidence of the following two essential criterion:

1. 1. Understanding and awareness of the challenges that disabled people face while travelling (by public transport, active travel, shared/ community transport or taxi, or by private car); and
2. 4. Working co-operatively and collaboratively.

• Your response should be no more than 500 words for each criterion.
• The remaining essential criterion, and the desirable criteria, will be tested at interview.
• Full details are set out in the Applicant Information Pack.