Britain’s transport system is great – as long as you’re not disabled | Jamie Hale
If you are a disabled person wanting to get around by yourself, good luck to you. Here’s what needs to be done
Imagine having the freedom to go out alone in the evening. Imagine knowing that the transport system would get you home safely. As a disabled London resident that’s not my reality. The capital has one of the best public transport systems in the world, yet only about a quarter of underground stations are fully accessible for me.
I am still glad to live in London. Unlike other parts of the country, the buses are usually wheelchair-accessible and the pavements passable. The national train network in theory offers a system called Turn Up & Go, so disabled passengers can travel spontaneously. In practice, most of the rest of the country requires you to book assistance 24 hours in advance. In London, transport runs late in the evening, meaning – theoretically – I can go out late.
Related: Advocacy project gets bus drivers onboard for more accessible transport
The truth is that the time, comfort and effort of disabled passengers is not a priority across our transport network
Related: A broken lift made me a prisoner in my home. But I fought for my disability rights | James Coke
Source: Guardian Transport
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