|
Printer friendly page | Key points to consider | Sources of information and advice | A note of caution - pavement scooters | Insurance | Medical preparations | Legislation - the DDA | Personal assistance | Help with costs | Benefits and allowances
Improvements are gradually but constantly being made to public transport vehicles and interchanges to make them more easily accessible. There is often a choice of different ways to make a journey. The biggest problem for many disabled people is knowing where to find advice and information to help you choose the travel option that best meets your particular travel needs.
County councils and Unitary Authorities are responsible for passenger transport in the areas they cover. They can give information about facilities and fare concessions for disabled travellers on public transport in their area. Some also publish a guide to accessible transport services in their area and may include these details on their websites.
You can find the contact details for your local authority Public Transport department on the Directgov website at: www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/A-ZOfCentralGovernment/index.htm.
These are responsible for public transport in seven of the major metropolitan areas in England and Scotland:
Greater Manchester , Merseyside , South Yorkshire , Strathclyde , Tyne and Wear , West Midlands and West Yorkshire .
They provide a similar service as Local Authorities and can give information about facilities and fare concessions for disabled travellers on public transport in their area.
the Passenger Transport Executive Group (PTEG) at: www.pteg.net.
Transport for London(TfL) is responsible for public transport In London.
It is part of the Mayor of London's Office, and has an Equality and Inclusion Office which deals with policy on transport matters for disabled people. TfL is also responsible for running the Central London Congestion Charge (www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/).
TfL's Transport Information Call Centre (TICC) provides a fully inclusive information service about public transport in London. The TICC can help with enquiries across the different types of transport, and can give information about accessibility as well as timetable and ticket information.
TICC can be contacted on 020 7222 1234 (24 hours); textphone 020 7918 3015.
The Journeyplanner section of the Transport for London website can also help you to plan your journey across London - journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/index.htm.
More information about TfL at: www.tfl.gov.uk.
In Northern Ireland Translink oversees the integrated public transport operation of Citybus, Northern Ireland Railways, and Ulsterbus.
More information at: www.translink.co.uk.
Many local authority public transport information services are now provided through the national Traveline telephone and internet service. Traveline can give you information about transport timetables and fares throughout Great Britain (i.e. not yet including Northern Ireland), as well as information on the operation of wheelchair accessible low floor buses.
More information about Traveline can be found at: www.traveline.org.uk. The website explains how to obtain information by telephone, on 0871 200 22 33 (calls provided by BT will be charged at 10p per minute plus 6p set up fee per call. Mobile, business and other providers' charges may vary), by SMS text messages and e-mail.
The Department for Transport launched the first stage of their Transport Direct Website in July 2004. It provides travel information and ticketing service covering all forms of transport - air, bus, car, coach, ferry, train, tram, tube, taxi , as well as journeys that involve more than one form of transport. Transport Direct is available at: www.transportdirect.info.
Tourism for All UK is a national charity which provides holiday and travel information to older and disabled people, including lists of accessible accommodation around the country. It also provides advice and support to the tourism industry when they are trying to meet their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act or when they wish to become more accessible to disabled visitors, by providing consultancy advice about information, training, inspections and assessments, and other options.
More information about Tourism for All UK can be found at: www.tourismforall.org.uk.
DIALs can often give information about access and facilities for disabled people in the area each local DIAL covers - www.dialuk.info.
National organisations representing the interests of disabled people with particular impairments, such as the RNIB, RNID Arthritis Care or Mencap, can usually give advice on travel for people with particular disabilities. More details of these organisations can be found in the useful organisations section.
There are also organisations and publications that can give advice on particular means of transport or types of journey.
To find out what accessible transport services are available in your area you should contact either your local:
- Local Council or Unitary Authority Public Transport Department (see above)
- Passenger Transport Executive(PTE) (see above)
- Transport for London in London (see above)
- Translink in Northern Ireland (see above)
You can also contact Traveline (see above) for public transport timetable and fares information throughout the country.
You can also use the Department for Transport's Transport Direct website (www.transportdirect.info).
There is a national network of mobility centres that belong to the Forum of Mobility Centres. These were set up to provide disabled motorists with impartial assessments and advice about driving, cars and adaptations.
A list of these Mobility Centres, their locations and contact details can be found here.
There are also two membership organisations, which offer a range of services to disabled motorists:
In the summer of 2005, the members of the Disabled Drivers Association (DDA) and the Disabled Drivers Motor Club (DDMC) voted to merge the two organisations. For the time being you can still contact both the DDA and DDMC as before.
Disabled people considering taking up or returning to motorcycling can get help and advice from:
The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), has published "Access to air travel; Guidance for disabled and less mobile passengers". This guide follows a step by step journey through planning your flight, to getting to the airport, boarding and leaving the plane.
It can be downloaded from our website (www.dptac.gov.uk/pubs/aviation/access/index.htm) or by post from the DPTAC Secretariat. A summary of the main points to consider is also available as a small leaflet.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has published "Access to Air Travel for Disabled Persons and Persons with Reduced Mobility - Code of Practice". This Code of Practice outlines the standards that are expected of companies in the air transport industry. . It can be downloaded from the DfT website at www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/access/aviationshipping/accesstoairtravelfordisabled.pdf (Adobe Acrobat).
The Air Transport Users Council produces a series of information sheets dealing with different aspects of air travel. They can be downloaded from the 'Air Travel Advice' section of their website. More information about the Air Transport Users Council can be found at: www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=306.
For holidays in the UK, you can get more information from the local:
For destinations abroad, you can contact Tourism for All UK or try contacting a disability organisation in the country you plan to visit. A specialist tour operator may be able to organise accommodation to meet your particular needs. Foreign tourist boards may have offices in the UK which can help.
A range of holiday guides are published to suit different levels of ability and senses of adventure, from 'Smooth Rides' to 'Rough Guides'. More information on useful contacts is available from the Contact a Family: Holidays, Play and Leisure Factsheet (August 2007) at: www.cafamily.org.uk/holidays.html.
Transport for London(TfL) is the responsible for public transport In London.
More information about Transport for London can be found at: www.tfl.gov.uk.
A publication that has proven to be very useful to visitors to London for about two decades is the book "Access in London", part of the Access Project series prepared by Pauline Hephaistos Survey Projects. Now in its fourth edition, and regularly updated with supplements, it gives accurate and confirmed access information about accommodation, transport, entertainment, sporting and cultural venues right across London. Details of how you can get a copy can be found at: www.accessproject-phsp.org.
General advice and information on benefits and allowances for disabled people can be obtained from:
Nationally
- The Benefits Enquiry Line (BEL) - 0800 88 22 00 textphone - 0800 24 33 55
- Disability Alliance: www.disabilityalliance.org/ben3.htm
- Royal National Institute for the Blind
- Royal National Institute for the Deaf
Locally
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)/Benefits Agency offices
- Citizens Advice Bureaux
- Disability Information Advice Lines
- Associations of and for disabled people
|
