25.02.20
Government campaign launched to increase inclusivity on public transport
Today (Feb 25th) the Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has pressed ahead with a new government campaign to improve journeys for disabled passengers on public transport, in light of wanting to make the UK a world leader for accessible travel.
The advertising campaign is titled ‘it’s everyone’s journey’ and has received support from more than 100 partners, including First Group, WHSmith Travel and the Alzheimer’s Society.
As 1 in 4 disabled people say the attitudes of other passengers prevent them from using public transport, the campaign will inspire everyone to contemplate on how common, and often unconscious behaviours can impact others and what we can all do to form a more considerate environment for all passengers.
Another announcement is also expected shortly which will detail how 124 stations across Great Britain will benefit from a share of a £20m government investment for accessibility developments such as new lifts, accessible toilets and customer information screens. The funding has come from the Access for All programme.
Research conducted by the Department for Transport has shown that behaviours that can make taking public transport a daunting experience for disabled people are often unconscious, such as not looking out for a fellow passenger who might need a seat.
Transport Secretary, Mr. Shapps, said: “I want our transport system to be the best in the world for disabled people, but we still have a long way to go. Our ‘its everyone’s journey’ campaign highlights that we can all play a part in making transport more accessible for disabled people.
“Because I believe we should all be making a determined effort to make public transport accessible to everyone, and I am committed to accelerating the pace of change. We are launching a new scheme to recognise those transport operators which are getting it right and will work quickly to implement recommendations from the upcoming Keith Williams review to improve rail accessibility.”
John Birtwistle, Head of Policy at First Group, said: “FirstGroup is particularly proud to be a partner in the launch of “it’s everyone’s journey”. For many years we have sought to improve our services to reflect the needs of travellers with disabilities and to overcome barriers to use of public transport.
“We will continue to encourage every one of our customers to be considerate to both their fellow travellers, and to our drivers who do a great job under difficult conditions, and we welcome this wide-reaching national campaign.”
Image: Gov.UK