News

’Rights, not charity’

Demonstrations are being planned in at least two cities over the next few months, to draw attention to the neglected public transport needs of people with disabilities.

The Campaign for Accessible Transport, a network of disabled activists with groups in London, Manchester, Birmingham and London, had planned further direct action over the winter, following the successful wheelchair demonstration last October which blocked Oxford St in London for over two hours. Because of the bad weather and the mobility difficulties of many of the activists, the plans have been delayed.

A spokesperson for the campaign told Heath Matters: ‘What we are doing is first of all to raise the issue — people think we don’t want to use public transport because they don’t see us on buses.’

Campaign members, many of whom have previously served on government and local authority transport working parties, are frustrated at the lack of progress in making buses and trains accessible to users with disabilities.

’We’ve been here for years, but they don’t listen to us. We’ve been used on committees to justify bad decisions.’

They point to countries where direct action has achieved wheelchair-accessible public transport. ‘The United States and the Scandinavian countries have done it — why can’t we?’

Neither are they impressed by the efforts of the established disability charities. ‘The big charities are only interested in providing second class services — but we’re saying “rights, not charity”. Legislation on the issue is what we want.’

The campaign has no formal membership, but keeps a mailing list of 120 supporters in London, as well as the new groups now setting up in other cities. Action is co-ordinated via a telephone tree.

Apart from direct action, future plans include work on a bill of rights for disabled transport users which would be the basis for campaigning for a change in the law.

Campaign for Accessible Transport, c/o 14a Green Dragon Lane, Brentford, TW8 0EG