APPENDIX 38
Memorandum submitted by the Joint Committee
on Mobility of Blind and Partially Sighted
BACKGROUND
JCMBPS is an independent body consisting of
representatives of the principle organisations of and for blind,
deafblind and partially sighted people with a specific interest
in mobility. The JCMBPS believes that blind, deafblind and partially
sighted people should be able to move around safely and independently.
This is currently not the case and barriers may be physical, operational
or attitudinal.
GENERAL COMMENTS
JCMBPS welcomes this inquiry on buses, and the
opportunity to put forward our comments.
Research conducted for DPTAC[29],
the government's advisory committee on transport for disabled
people, found that while disabled people travel a third less often
than the general public, disabled people use buses more often
than the general public. Visually impaired people use buses significantly
more than other disabled people, with 57% taking the bus at least
once a month compared to 43% of disabled people as a whole.
Recent RNIB research (Baker, 1999) found that
a third of all blind people surveyed, and almost half those surveyed
who were over 60 years old, felt that using the bus was either
"very difficult" or "quite difficult". Almost
half of those questioned reported difficulties getting information
about buses and in using bus vehicles (46%).
In order to improve the experience of visually
impaired users, we believe that there is a need for the provision
of audio-visual announcements on buses, better driver training
and free travel under the concessionary fare scheme at all times.
We believe that our experience suggests that this would be more
achievable under the regulated system which exists in London.
Has Deregulation Worked?
JCMBPS does not believe that bus deregulation
has worked. Services are infrequent, unreliable, provided by old
vehicles with minimum adaptations for meeting the needs of visually
impaired people, and the bus stop infrastructure is not accessible.
Below we examine the particular issues which cause blind and partially
sighted people difficulty in using buses. We believe that the
examples which we outline below suggest that if a system of bus
regulation similar to that which exists in London were to be introduced
then blind and partially sighted people would enjoy much more
accessible bus travel.
Bus Stops
Visually impaired uses have identified a number
of issues including buses not pulling into the bus stop/kerb and
therefore not being able to identify the bus when it arrives.
The design of bus stops is also inconsistent making it harder
for visually impaired people. In London a consistent bus stop
design has been adopted with very clear lettering making it easier
for visually impaired people. Request stops are almost impossible
for visually impaired people because they can't see the bus stop.
However, some bus drivers don't even bother
to use bus stops as the following quote from RNIB's "Travellers
Tales" Report illustrates:
"The bus did not stop at its final stop;
it stopped somewhere else. The doors opened and the driver said
something I could not understand. I asked the driver where I was.
The driver did not answer me. I told him that I was blind, showed
him my white stick, and asked him to help me out of wherever I
was back to the bus stop. He made a gesture and said it was `over
there'. He would not help. I got off—it was more scary than
driving an ambulance in the Blitz. It was only when I had to put
out my hand to stop an oncoming car that I found that I was in
a car park. Only then did the driver get off the bus and take
me to `safety'. I was very shaken."
Bus Design
Visually impaired people struggle with bus layout
because of inconsistent design. The PSV Accessibility Regulations
say that new buses have to meet new design standard from 2000.
These standards include specifications for tactile markings colour
contrast, clear route displays. However, buses brought into service
before 2000 have until 2017 to comply and many are not of a very
good design and the variety of designs make the situation even
more difficult. Difficulties identified include lack of space
under seats for JCMBPS and the provision of an upright pole at
the entrance, which can be helpful for those with physical impairments
but visually impaired people can bump into them if they are not
properly colour contrasted.
Information
One of the biggest barriers to blind and partially
sighted people using buses is the lack of audio-visual information.
While we welcome the fact that all buses in London will comply
with the Bus and Coach Regulations introduced under the Disability
Discrimination Act prior to both the 2017 deadline and the 2012
Olympics, we are disappointed that these regulations do not include
a requirement for visual and audible announcements which would
be very useful for both deaf people and people with sight loss.
We therefore welcome the recommendation in your
Committee's recent report "Going for Gold: Transport for
London's 2012 Olympic Games", that all buses should have
visual and audible information, and are delighted that Transport
for London has now made it clear that all London buses will have
visual and audible announcements by 2009. JCMBPS have been involved
in the trials and have been very impressed with the results. We
hope that other places will follow suit and the Government will
amend the Regulations soon so that all buses will have to include
visual and audible announcements.
Passenger Needs
Between May and September 2005 focus groups
and one to one interviews were conducted with a total of 60 people
by The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. Those interviewed
included those using guide dogs and other mobility aids, deafblind
people and those over 65. The vast majority of people interviewed
felt very strongly that their ability to determine where to get
off with minimal or no reliance on fellow passengers or the bus
driver was a fundamental right. Once on the bus, travel strategies
included "asking the driver and hoping he remembers",
or "positioning myself behind the driver" or "walking
up and down the bus to remain visible to the driver", or
"asking the person next to me" or, on more frequent
routes, "learning the modulations in the road . . . bends
in the road." The evidence clearly suggests a significant
level of stress and dependency on fellow passengers and drivers,
associated with the overall travel experience for many of these
passengers.
Visually impaired people using buses rely on
bus drivers to tell them when they have arrived at their stop
and some drivers are more helpful than others. A visually impaired
passenger who gets off at the wrong stop is left in a very vulnerable
position that can lead them to be misled or preyed upon. Mr Mainwaring
was attacked after becoming lost in Manchester after getting on
the wrong bus. The gang had offered to help him but instead kicked
and punched him and robbed him of his mobile phone, cash and credit
card. If there had been audible announcements on buses Mr Mainwairing
would have realised that he was on the wrong bus a lot earlier
and avoided being attacked.
Visual and audible announcements can also benefit
other bus users, for example those who are unfamiliar with an
area or those for whom English is a second language. Provision
of information before and during a bus journey is one of the ingredients
which will reverse the long term decline in bus usage. The provision
of visual and audible announcements is a requirement in all new
trains, so why not buses?
Service and Training
During the interviews for the Guide Dogs for
the Blind study highlighted above, the need for an awareness of
disability issues among drivers and transport operators was unanimously
voiced by the group.
Issues included the difficulties in being required
to get tickets before boarding, lack of publicity of bus service
changes, particularly in formats accessible for visually impaired
people. However, in Coventry service changes are now emailed to
a list supplied by the local society. When a bus breaks down there
is a need for information, otherwise visually impaired people
are left stranded in an unfamiliar area. However, some bus drivers
will not even give a visually impaired passenger a minute to sit-down
as the following example from RNIB's "Travellers Tales"
illustrates:
"I had an awful experience with a bus driver
which caused me to lose my new guide dog. The bus driver firstly
pulled away before we had found our seats so we were thrown into
them. Then he drove so recklessly that it frightened my dog to
the point where she was trembling, panting and sweating and couldn't
sit still. The bus driver was abusive too when asked to slow down.
After that experience she was unable to work because she had such
a fear of buses and all other transport including trains, taxis
and cars. The dog had a nervous breakdown and had to be retired.
All because of one bus journey. Guide Dogs sued the company for
loss of a dog."
In some parts of the country, participants had
nothing but praise for the sensitivity and helpfulness of bus
drivers. Cardiff (one bus company), Ashton and Ipswich were cases
in point. In all three areas there was evidence of repeated driver
awareness training and management (ie of the bus company) involvement,
usually in the form of periodic surveys of passenger needs. This
translated into very specific activities evident to passengers,
including:
— Bus drivers clearly and politely
announcing the bus number when asked on arrival at the stop.
— Bus drivers waiting for passengers
to be seated before pulling off, thereby minimising the risk of
injury.
— Bus drivers announcing that they
have not stopped at the usual bay (due in most cases to cars parked
in the designated areas) and urging care in alighting and crossing
the road.
JCMBPS welcome the fact that new bus drivers
in London are now required by Transport for London to take a BTEC
which includes Disability Equality Training. However, bus companies
need to make sure that as a result of the driver training that
the drivers know the rules. On two recent occasions, on Arriva
in Scotland and the route 163 in London, drivers refused to allow
more than on dog on the bus with is contrary to the Conduct of
Drivers Regulations.
CONCESSIONARY FARES
In 2001 a minimum half price fare on buses was
introduced, and then in April 2006 a minimum of free off-peak
travel on buses within local authority boundaries was introduced.
From 2008 this will be extended to free local off-peak bus travel
across authority boundaries providing the bus stops every 15 miles.
While we welcome these introductions, we still
feel that there is a need to improve the Government's minimum
concessionary fares scheme further by adding the following:
— A requirement for free travel in
the morning peak.
— A requirement to provide free travel
on other modes of transport.
— A requirement to provide free travel
for a companion and on dial a ride or taxies where the person's
impairment means that they can't access mainstream transport on
their own.
We set out our reasons below.
The need for concessionary fares
We believe that concessionary fares are necessary
for visually impaired people for several reasons. Firstly it is
often necessary, even on short routes which are unsafe or unfamiliar,
for blind, deafblind and partially sighted people to use public
transport as this option is often the only means for safe and
independent travel to the required destination. A bus journey
may be necessary simply to cross the road rather than tackle a
difficult junction.
Blind, deafblind and partially sighted people
are likely to have difficulty finding the correct change and obtaining
the ticket particularly where this is automated. Free travel not
only avoids this difficulty but reduces the time taken for the
bus journey through avoiding such delays.
The difficulties in obtaining accessible information
on bus destinations, as the bus display cannot be read, has led
blind, deafblind and partially sighted people to get on the wrong
bus. Not only is this distressing in itself but if fare money
has been put into the automated ticket machine this cannot be
reclaimed.
Blind, deafblind and partially sighted people
typically have lower incomes due to their lack of employment opportunities
and social exclusion from the opportunities and choices available
to sighted people. According to the Government's Disability in
Great Britain report the incomes of disabled adults were 20 to
30% lower than those of non-disabled people (these figures included
disability benefits).
Unintended effects of the 2006 policy
The restriction of concessionary travel during
morning peak periods has a severely detrimental effect on blind
and partially sighted people travelling to work or looking for
work. Research by RNIB suggests that only 27% of blind and partially
sighted people of working are in employment and were people are
employed they are more likely to be in lower paid jobs.
In addition to the effect on employment, restricting
concessions to off peak times affects blind and partially sighted
people travelling to an early medical appointment, appointments
for benefit and other interviews, or leisure activity with an
early start time.
As the Government have improved the minimum
concessionary fare scheme for older and disabled people there
has been pressure put on a number of schemes that provided free
morning peak travel for blind people and not other older and disabled
people. When this issue came up in London the Association of London
Government suggested levelling down but following a big campaign
by disabled people free travel was extended to all disabled people
in the morning peak. Guide Dogs are currently working with RNIB
and the Warwickshire Association for the Blind to reverse a decision
by Stratford-on-Avon District Council to remove free peak-time
travel for visually impaired people in the morning peak following
the introduction of free off-peak travel for all disabled people
in April 2006. This was brought to our attention by a local councillor
following a complaint from a visually impaired constituent who
now has to pay to get to work to do his job as a teaching assistant.
Encouraging local authorities to provide more
than the statutory minimum
Allowing morning peak-time travel would be consistent
with the Government's desire to get more disabled people into
work which they are currently promoting through their programme
of reform of Incapacity Benefit. There has been a reduction in
time restrictions on schemes in England since 1998. 115 schemes
still restrict travel in the morning peak (down from 137 in 1998).
No time restrictions are placed on use by 200 schemes[30].
There are no time restrictions in Wales and in Scotland time restrictions
will be removed in the national Scotland scheme from April 2006.
There have been no time restrictions on using the Freedom Bas
in the morning peak in London on buses, Underground and the DLR
since April 2003 and this has not caused difficulties despite
the huge pressure on public transport in the morning peak in the
capital city. However, if local authorities are to be encouraged
to go on providing more than the statutory minimum the Government
must make sure that they are fully funded for increases in the
statutory minimum concessionary fare scheme.
Concessions on other modes of transport
In some areas concessionary fare passes can
be used in taxis, community transport and other door to door transport.
This is particularly important in rural areas and the Joint Committee
urges that this be extended. In Scotland some ferry journeys will
be entitled to concessionary fares. In urban areas the buses are
often supplemented by local rail and light rail services.
Concessions for those not able to access mainstream
public transport on their own
Not all visually impaired people are able to
access mainstream public transport on their own. Therefore concessions
should be available to allow a companion to travel free of charge
where this is necessary to access mainstream public transport.
Alternatively concessionary fares should be available on door
to door transport. In some cases visually impaired people will
not be able to access mainstream public transport even with sighted
assistance. Equity would suggest that they have as much right
to free public transport as other disabled people.
May 2006
29 Attitudes of disabled people to public transport,
DPTAC, 2002. Back
30
TAS 2003 as above. Back
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