News

New national research report launched on transport access

Added: 12 July 2012 | Updated: 31 July 2012

A new national campaign A2BForAll has launched a research report on disability discrimination on public transport.

Supported by Dame Tanni Grey Thompson, the campaign is calling for Government action to address the basic problems that are making the public transport system inaccessible.

Research by A2BForAll has underlined once again the fact that for thousands of disabled people using the public transport system can be a laborious, embarrassing and even impossible task.

Their main findings were that:

• 45% of disabled passengers experience regular discrimination on public transport
• 39% have experienced verbal abuse from transport staff
• 74% have difficulties getting on and off transport
• 73% now feel nervous when using public transport
• 59% find using public transport a “horrible experience”.

Transport for All worked with the campaign to explain the situation here in London. Lianna Etkind, TfA’s Campaign and Outreach Co-ordinator is quoted in the report as saying:
“Inaccessible transport is still perhaps the biggest barrier to the full participation of disabled people in all areas of public life. The majority of the Tube system remains out of bounds for people who cannot use steps: the likelihood of one’s entry station, exit station and change all being step free is vanishingly small. In our view, door to door transport schemes simply do not meet the transport demands of a growing population of older and disabled Londoners; increasingly unwilling to submit to living life within a four-mile boundary. Simply put, journeys can be more stressful and take longer for disabled people than for everyone else“.

A2BForAll’s main demand is asking for a regulator funded by the transport industry, to ensure that operators address the needs of all passengers.

Transport for All supports the campaign and agrees with the need for a national regulator. However, we would like to see a regulatory body that is independent from the industry so that it can have the freedom to make the changes that are required at every level of UK’s transport sector.

Download A2BForAll’s Disability Discrimination on Public Transport in the UK report in full.