Memorandum from Transport for London (DDB
93)
My comments are limited to the section of the
Bill dealing with transport.
My understanding is—put simply—that
the Bill will require any provider of transport to ensure the
accessibility of such transport as is provided. Of course I welcome
this, and Transport for London wholeheartedly supports and is
working to make this a reality: for example, we already operate
the world's largest fleet of wheelchair-accessible buses.
However I am concerned that the Bill is silent
about the needs of disabled people who cannot use, and need something
in addition to, whatever means of transport—buses, underground,
light rail, etc—are operated in their locality.
In London, for example, there are perhaps 200,000+
people with physical impairments, age-related frailty etc who
cannot get unaided from their front door to the nearest bus-stop.
There are perhaps another 200,000+ Londoners who have sensory
and other impairments for whom travelling independently by bus
is impractical. And there are people with any of these impairments
who want to come to and travel in London for work or leisure.
It would be possible for a transport authority
to provide nothing for these people, and yet to comply entirely
with the new Act as drafted—except possibly for the general
duties set out in Clauses 4 and 8. And I am far from clear about
how much influence these clauses will bring to bear on this issue.
My view—which I hope the Committee will
share—is that transport authorities should as swiftly as
is practicable move towards providing a mix of transport such
that all disabled people wishing to travel may do so at the same
fare as, and with a facility (or degree of inconvenience!) equivalent
to that of, their able-bodied neighbours.
I ask the Committee to consider (1) whether
the Bill should require a transport authority so to provide and,
if so, (2) whether as drafted it achieves this.
Bryan Heiser
February 2004
| 
