APPENDIX 6
Memorandum submitted by Mencap
Mencap is the leading charity working with people
with a learning disability, their parents and carers. Mencap works
to ensure people with a learning disability have equal access
to choice, opportunity and respect. In line with the Government's
White Paper, Valuing People, we believe people with a learning
disability should have the same opportunities as the non-disabled
and play a full and active part in the community.
Mencap's response to the Transport Committee's
inquiry into bus services across the UK will concentrate solely
on the specific issues affecting people with a learning disability
when using buses.
The needs of people with a learning disability
are frequently misunderstood but, many of the steps that need
to be taken do not require substantial investment. Instead attitudinal
change, creative thinking and common sense will often be enough
to enable a person with a learning disability to travel confidently
on buses and therefore lead a substantially more independent life.
STAFF DISABILITY
EQUALITY TRAINING
People with a learning disability share many
transport problems with the wider disabled community. However,
there are certain barriers to transport that are not shared by
those with physical disabilities, such as difficulties finding
alternative routes when things go wrong, being bullied while travelling
alone and difficulty coping with rude and unhelpful transport
staff.
Full, proper and effective disability equality
training is a crucial factor in improving staff attitudes and
deciding whether people with a learning disability can travel
with confidence. Staff attitudes often make the difference between
a successfully completed journey and one that is frightening,
demeaning and largely impossible for someone with a learning disability.
Our research has shown that, on the whole, delivery
of disability equality training, and the quality and effectiveness
of that training, is very patchy. Where it does occur it focuses
far too often on improving physical access and operating equipment
for people with physical disabilities, in particular for wheelchair
users, and excludes proper training about non-physical and more
hidden disabilities. Often staff who have had training say that
they are not confident in recognising or supporting a person with
a learning disability. In training sessions equal time and attention
needs to be given to the barriers faced by people with hidden
disabilities and ways to help them.
ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION
We would like to see further work around accessibility
of information. In particular, timetables are very difficult for
everyone, but especially for someone with a learning disability,
to understand. We would like to see the standardisation of the
use of the 12 hour clock which is known to be an easier format
for the majority of customers, large print and limited information
on each page.
PASSENGER INFORMATION
SYSTEMS
Mencap is aware that bus drivers can be resistant
to the introduction of PIS, but they allow people with a learning
disability to travel with confidence. A passenger with a learning
disability may be relying on the PIS but they will certainly not
be the only passengers doing so. It will be of equal value to
anyone unfamiliar with their journey and stands to benefit most
passengers at different times.
CONCESSIONARY FARES
Transport is the key to the quality of life
for people with a learning disability as it is for non-disabled
people. It determines whether they have access to day services
or are forced to stay at home; can have a job or access to friends
and leisure activities and a lifestyle they want, with real choice,
such as non-disabled people take for granted.
People with a learning disability mostly live
on benefits and those who work tend to be in low paid jobs. This
means the cost of public transport can present a barrier. In addition
to this, those people with a more severe learning disability will
always need someone to accompany them on any journey they make,
which considerably adds to the cost of transport.
Mencap recently carried out a survey of the
problems people with a learning disability have accessing public
transport. The cost of transport was high up the list. From this
perspective the freedom pass, operated by Transport for London,
is a model we would like to see adopted by the rest of the UK
when the national scheme is introduced. It enables disabled people
to access public transport 24 hours a day, rather than restricted
to after nine o'clock in the morning.
Cost has been one of the arguments used to prevent
other local authorities following suit. However, London is made
up of some of the poorest, as in Tower Hamlets, as well as some
of the wealthier boroughs in the country and in our view this
undermines the cost argument for not allowing disabled people
to travel free. If the poorest borough can fund disabled travel,
others should be able to so as well.
Mencap takes the view that eligibility for the
freedom pass should be based on receipt of a disability related
benefit. Mencap would like to see this eligibility criteria adopted
when disabled people become entitled to free local bus travel
country-wide.
22 May 2006
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