Appointment of Members of the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland

Overview

Appointment of Members of the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS).

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

MACS was established in 2002 as an advisory non-departmental public body. The Committee’s founding legislation requires the convener and at least 50% of members to 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.

Roles and Functions

The Committee Has Two Statutory Functions

• to consider matters relating to the needs of disabled people in connection with transport as the Committee thinks appropriate; and
• to advise the Scottish Ministers on such matters as the Committee thinks appropriate.

MACS Overarching Strategic Remits

• give Scottish Ministers advice on policy, legislation, and practice affecting the travel needs of disabled people;
• take account of the broad views and lived experiences of disabled people when giving advice;
• encourage awareness among disabled people in Scotland of developments affecting their mobility, choices, and opportunities;
• work closely with Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government to ensure their work programmes complement the work of other bodies and organisations, including IMTAC, DPTAC, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission;
• promote the travel needs of disabled people with designers, transport planners and operators, so these are fully considered in the development of vehicles, infrastructure, and delivery of services;
• monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their work against these aims to improve travel opportunities for disabled people in Scotland.

Members’ Role

As a MACS Member, you will be expected to represent the views and experiences of disabled people in Scotland regarding travel and transport to the Scottish Government, Transport Scotland, and other bodies and stakeholders. Appointees must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of travel and transport issues faced by disabled people. You will work with other members as part of a workstream team and across all travel and transport modes under different workstream themes.

Further Information

For more information about the work of the Committee and the MACS Member role, contact the MACS Secretariat at MACS@gov.scot. You can find more about MACS and read the MACS Code of Conduct. Full details about the role are in the Applicant Information Pack.

Skills and Experience

Essential Criteria

• 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);
• Seeing the bigger picture;
• Constructive and supportive when communicating with others;
• Working co-operatively and collaboratively.

Desirable Criteria

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

How to Apply

In your application, demonstrate evidence of the two essential criteria:

• Understanding and awareness of the challenges that disabled people face while travelling; and
• 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 in the Applicant Information Pack.