No Go Britain: MPs are listening
Campaigners for disability rights, including Paralympian Sophie Christiansen, will give evidence today to MPs looking at how they can improve transport for disabled people.
The transport select committee wants to hear from disabled people and campaign groups about what it is like to get around on the UK’s transport networks for people with disabilities.
The first oral evidence session for the committee takes place in London today. MPs will hear evidence from Disability Rights UK, Whizz-Kidz, Trailblazers and the National Pensioners Convention, among others.
Gold medal-winning Paralympian Sophie Christiansen will also speak to MPs.
Chair of the committee Louise Ellman MP said: “Several months after such a successful Paralympics, we want to explore and understand the challenges faced by travellers with disabilities.
We want to explore and understand the challenges faced by travellers with disabilities. Louise Ellman MP, committee chair
“We want to listen to suggestions for better, more accessible transport. We look forward to hearing from our witnesses about their personal experience of travel and their views about changes that may be required.”
Channel 4 News has been investigating these very issues for almost a year now with our award-winning No Go Britain series. We asked our Facebook and Twitter followers what they would like to tell MPs.
Brian Christopher Winter told us on Facebook: “Well, let’s have better signage on buses, and drivers who are aware of the needs of VI travellers, i.e. not sailing past bus stops because someone didn’t stick their hand out cos they haven’t seen the bus coming.”
@nogobritain Trains & staff in the South East are exceptionally poor at providing for disabled people
— Jamie Dowling (@PlanetJamie39) March 7, 2013
Nina Neon, also writing on Facebook, said she had experienced problems last week.
“The bus driver would not let me on the bus because it was ‘too busy and there was no space because there are too many people’ (there were no pushchairs), even though he just let on 4 or 5 people at the same stop, which to me is just blatant discrimination against wheelchair users.”
Many transport users agreed that improving things would not have to cost the cash-strapped government very much money – they said attitudes needed to change as much as equipment.
@nogobritain that drivers who went put down ramps r as much of a problem as no ramps at all
— Jo Evans (@J_L_E) March 7, 2013
“Better driver training and monitoring is the weak link that is easiest to fix,” wrote Penny Ledger on Facebook.
Alex Squire agreed, writing: “Drivers need to have more disability awareness training and ramps on buses need to be checked frequently, if not every day.”
Lidia Smolarek Best said small adjustments could make all the difference.
“Voice announcements leave deaf and hard of hearing people without any information about change to travel or a danger,” she said.
And Sophie Buckley had a simple plea: “Take time to understand the person!”
MPs, are you listening?
