Transport as a barrier to employment
Transcript of Transport as a barrier to employment
Transport as a barrier to employment
Who we are, What we do ✤ Imtac is a committee of
disabled people and older people
✤ Our role is to advise Government in Northern Ireland on matters that affect the mobility of older people and disabled people
✤ We have 18 members. Our membership broadly reflects disabled people and older people
Why we exist
✤ Transport and travel are essential to participation in everyday life including employment
✤ The inaccessibility of the current transport system is a major contributor to inequality and social exclusion
✤ Disabled people and older people are amongst the groups most likely to experience this
Our approach
✤ Our approach is based on inclusive design and the social model of disability
✤ Inclusive design mean services that are accessible, and usable, by as many people as possible
✤ Reduced need for expensive, additional adaptation and separate services
✤ Social model says disabled people are disabled by society not their impairment
What we don’t mean
✤ Accessibility viewed as an “add on” or the requirements of disabled people seen as something “other”
✤ DDA/legally compliant
✤ Meeting minimum standards
✤ “We talked to Disability Action”
Barriers to travel
✤ Availability of transport
✤ Accessibility of transport
✤ Cost of transport
✤ Location of employment
✤ Safety and security concerns
✤ Restricted travel horizons
Causes of exclusion
✤ Land use planning that prioritises car usage
✤ Reduced/more expensive public transport options
✤ A lack of focus of accessibility in transport planning
✤ Failure to recognise the importance of transport from other agencies
✤ Lack of innovation and joined up thinking
Improving accessibility of public
transport
✤ Step free access
✤ Modern accessible interiors including handrails, bell pushes and colour contrasting
✤ Dedicated separate space for wheelchairs users and prams
✤ Priority seating for other disabled people
✤ Audio and visual information
Improving transport infrastructure
✤ Step free easy access at stations and bus stops
✤ Well designed information including audio and visual
✤ Well designed shelter and seating
✤ Inclusive toilet facilities at main stations
✤ Lighting and CCTV
Improving the pedestrian
environment
✤ Every journey involves being a pedestrian
✤ Increased priority for pedestrians and inclusive public realm
✤ Wide, clutter free pavements
✤ Retention of kerbs and no shared space
✤ Safe and accessible crossings
Flexible transport
✤ More use of demand responsive transport services
✤ Flexible services based around users
✤ NOT traditional Dial-a-lift
✤ Can include services to specific employment locations
Reducing the cost of travel
✤ Concessionary Fares Scheme
✤ Travel/taxi vouchers
✤ Better and integrated ticketing
✤ Support for people to learn to or keep driving
✤ Blue Badge Scheme
Raising service standards
✤ Buy in from Senior Management (through training)
✤ Inclusive policy & practices
✤ Well trained and available frontline staff
✤ Access to appropriate assistance
✤ Turn up and go!
✤ Mentoring and individual support
Letting people know
✤ Better information about services
✤ All information, including printed and online, designed to clear accessibility standards
✤ Improved provision of information in other formats
✤ Inclusive campaigns promoting services
Progress to date
✤ There have been major improvements and investment in public transport accessibility
✤ Still some distance to go
✤ Many of the other barriers have not been adequately addressed
✤ Austerity a major barrier to progress but attitudes just as great
✤ We have come some of the way but still along way to go