Transport for All

http://www.transportforall.org.uk/

The weblink above is to a homepage belonging to ‘Transport For All’. The organisation is based in Brixton but active throughout this capital city.  Having grown from a combination of smaller groups, the organisation has helped users with a wide range of public transport issues.

“Our dream is that one day disabled and older people will be able to travel with the same freedom and independence as non-disabled people.”

Transport accessibility can seem a never-ending task. As we cannot yet teleport ourselves anywhere, humans always need various modes of transport. Part of the supremacy of human beings is that we are all unique. We all have different advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, aiming to create transport for all, is an impossible task. It is however a charity on a mission aimed at providing omni-benevolence (benefiting everyone). There are always issues (many of which are talked about on this blog). ‘TfA’ is a charitable organisation which deals with just that. We may choose to agree, or not, but transport accessibility has generally improved so much in recent years. Thank you.

Well done Kingston! :)

The link that is provided below gives a newspaper article which praises the Royal Borough of Kingston. Within, it explains that this borough is only one of two London boroughs to successfully meet accessibility criteria. This Royal Borough, along with the City of London can now claim that every bus stop in their borough is now fully accessible.

http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/13497339.Every_bus_stop_in_the_borough_now__fully_accessible___council_says/

"Ensuring that disabled people and wheelchair users are able to readily access public transport is a basic right," says councillor Terry Paton

There are always dissatisfied critics.

Unsurprisingly there are reactions. Kingston meets  this accessibility criteria, there will always be those who fall 'outside of criteria levels', and disagree. 

I feel that the RBK must be thanked for showing leadership by example. This is such a huge topic, we must accept that 100%, universal satisfaction is impossible, but attaining such a high level is appreciated.

Back on the bus (or not)...

Please note, that I write this post entirely with personal opinion. I am not representing any charity or organisation, with such.

Wait for a bus (greater time allowance/calculation can be made now by using apps on a mobile device).

The bus will arrive at the stated time. Visibly hail the bus. Make it clear and obvious to the bus driver, and passengers, that you are in a wheelchair, and you wish to board.

As the bus nears, smile at the driver, acknowledge, and thank him (act as if you are friends and as if you presume that he will let you board).

Essentially, it IS the driver's bus. Remember that the driver has 100% control. If you promote yourself as friendly as possible, the more likely it is that the driver will help.

A recent event in Leeds, concerning buses and wheelchair priorities is reported on the BBC website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-30376446

Bus companies are not required by law to force parents with buggies to make way for wheelchair users in designated bays on vehicles, senior judges ruled.

The ruling, stated above, could be viewed as very bad step backwards for wheelchair users. However, I, myself, am willing to accept this, as I am unsure about feeling so 'separate, a special needy priority'. I do realise that this is a controversial ruling, causing much debate.

please mind the chasm

Please note,  that I type this post using knowledge that I have gained from personal experience. I do not represent the emotional feelings of any organisation. Only myself.

Thank you 'Transport for London', for enabling myself (powered-wheelchair user) to successfully use a variety of transport in the capital city. Wheelchair accessibility on Buses, check, Boats, check, Over-ground trains, check, Underground trains, problems.

As a resident of Kingston (not part of London Underground), I have readily accepted this, disregarding the problem. We are part of London (thankfully), and it is essential to be able to use something which is rare but everyone else takes for granted. I take the direct Over-ground train, from Kingston into Central London (Waterloo). Fortunately, London Waterloo is a station for the one 'accessible' London Underground rail line.

All is ok, I think. However, 'accessible', is a term with different meanings. Boris Johnson loves to paint over the cracks, promoting the tube system as 'accessible'. People believe, people trust. Hmmm....
It is 'accessible' for those who are wheeled by a carer, in a manual wheelchair. As the above graphic shows, ubiquitous accessibility is untrue. For those using powered-wheelchairs (like myself), trains dock at the station in an inaccessible position. Inaccessible, unless accompanied by someone helping the user 'past the gap'. It is too big a gap for a wheelchair to get past, alone.

Everyone is different. Wheelchairs are different, so there will always be a problem for some.
It hurts thinking that the general public are fooled so easily, and ready to accept this. OK, accessibility is a problem, but please do not pretend that it is a problem that you have solved. 

audio

'The wheelchair space is now required. Will passengers please make space....'

... The words that I heard, finally being played through the new TFL bus audio system.
Good! Passengers are now visually warned by 'that sign', and given an audio message. No excuses, now! 
To be fair, as stated elsewhere on this blog, it could be argued that the general public passenger perception is no longer the main issue. Buses are driven, ruled by drivers. It is necessary to be on the right side of the person in charge, the driver! I am unsure as to whether the bus driver chooses what is said through the audio speaker system...

How to successfully hail a bus

 I have developed a new tactic for successfully hailing a bus from a wheelchair. I state this as it has been known in the past that wheelchair users have been disregarded, or 'waved-away' by lazy bus drivers.
After waiting at a bus stop, we should...

Hail the bus, ring the bell on the outside door. Put pressure on driver to play by rules advertised.

By hailing the bus, we get the driver's attention. We shouldn't have to, but then it is wise for us to alert the passengers aboard that a wheelchair is awaiting to board the bus. By pressing the external bell (next to the outside door), we are not only alerting the driver aurally, but indirectly, we are also telling the passengers. Internal signs clearly state wheelchair priorities. Passengers can read, accept and understand the rules. However, the all-powerful driver is in control and can choose to break the rules. He now knows that the whole bus is aware of the wheelchair outside, and expects the driver to play by the rules.

Power to the people! The bus driver will now usually behave properly, play by the rules, and let the wheelchair on!
:)

Public opinion

It is best to ‘play by the rules’. Although this blog post is a personal opinion, I aim to offer correct advice.

If you are in a wheelchair at a bus stop, it is best to just hail the bus when it arrives. Then, if overloaded with buggies, it is up to the bus driver and passengers to decide whether they ‘play by the rules’.

It is unwise just to accept a bus driver wave you away, saying that there is no room. All the time, make the bus stop, proceed to the side, and just wait for the boarding ramp to eject. It will. This then piles the pressure upon passengers to ‘play by the rules’. Make the decision yourself, will the rules allow you on?

The chances are that they will, but don’t let it become the bus driver’s choice (sometimes they are just too lazy to enforce ‘their’ rules).

Essentially, you must remember that these ‘recommended actions’ are not ‘rules’ anyway, so a bus driver cannot enforce anything. The general public opinion however, will aid you. So make sure the passengers call the shots…

Falling door

‘Look Mummy! The door fell down!’

A statement made by a young child, after I had left the bus and bus-stop, in Kingston, the other week. The mother then confirmed what I had predicted.
‘No, Tommy, that is called a ramp.’

This experience made me realise how I was accustomed to this ramp, having been introduced to it in my rehabilitation home (4 years ago), and used it ever since. I can now realise just how important this fairly new device, is.
OK, boarding ramps still need to be manually positioned on trains, but the recent advancements in ‘universal design’, are quite incredible. My ‘power-wheelchair’ is obviously the key, however this ‘falling door’ is also a wonderful  advancement that both encourages and allows for further independence of disabled people. Once the ramp has been used, the bus boarded, one’s horizons are expanded hugely, and ‘disabilities’ become ‘abilities’. 

a TFL bus trip by wheelchair

Four buses,

outside parliament.