Using public transport has always been a source of frustration and anxiety, and sometimes outright impossible, for disabled people with obstacles such as inaccessible vehicles, poor customer service and a lack of up-to-date information.
The disjointed nature of the public transport system means that there is little accountability and companies can struggle to work together to meet the needs of disabled passengers.
Making our railways accessible for all should be a priority yet, despite regulations set over a decade ago to make trains more accessible, deadlines have been consistently missed and trains and train stations remain inaccessible for many.
According to Scope’s Travel Fair report, released in September 2019, four in five (79%) disabled people have felt anxious about using public transport and three in five (56%) have felt scared using public transport.
From tuts and sighs, to asking personal questions about your condition, 45 per cent of disabled passengers have experienced negative attitudes from staff and/or other passengers in the year up to July 2019. This has only increased in the wake of the pandemic.
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