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