{"id":9851,"date":"2016-09-15T10:12:37","date_gmt":"2016-09-15T09:12:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=9851"},"modified":"2016-09-15T15:34:25","modified_gmt":"2016-09-15T14:34:25","slug":"accessible-transport-for-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=9851","title":{"rendered":"Accessible transport for all"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Congress hailed the announcement by London mayor Sadiq Khan last week that London TravelWatch would undertake a review of ticket office closures, a move that was the subject of an emergency motion on the last day of the TUC conference yesterday (September 14).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The review is to \u00e2\u20ac\u015bconsider the impact of ticket office closures on passengers with the aim of ensuring that they can travel safely on the Tube network, purchase the right ticket easily, and access the information and support they need to get around London\u00e2\u20ac\u0165.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Congress believes that this review is an important stepping-stone to retaining ticket offices and saving jobs that keep passengers safe and help the service run more efficiently, and it largely came about thanks to rail unions\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 industrial action as well as coordinated campaigns from various groups.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the motion, which was carried, trade unions called on the review to be open-minded and evidence-based.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite delegate Sean McGovern, who spoke in support of the motion said the review into ticket office closures is \u00e2\u20ac\u015bto be hugely welcomed\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 and paid tribute to a \u00e2\u20ac\u015bconcerted campaign by rail unions, communities, passenger and disability groups.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He highlighted the specific concerns of disabled passengers.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bDisabled passengers have repeatedly raised that having ticket offices means there is a known and fixed point at the station where disabled people can access information and any staff assistance they need,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 McGovern argued.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe proposals had been that while large stations \u00e2\u20ac\u201c such as Euston or Kings Cross \u00e2\u20ac\u201c would have fixed information points that were staffed in other underground stations staff would be \u00e2\u20ac\u0098roaming\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, making it harder for disabled people \u00e2\u20ac\u201c particularly those with visual impairments \u00e2\u20ac\u201c to find staff,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he pointed out.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

McGovern noted that the review is an \u00e2\u20ac\u015bimportant step\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 in ensuring the wider accessibility of rail transport.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIf we can win the argument for staffed ticket offices [on the London Underground] it strengthens our campaign outside of London against ticket office closures on our national rail network,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he explained.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

McGovern highlighted two trends that mean disabled people are being left behind when it comes to rail transport.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On the hand, the number of disabled people using the railways has increased in recent years \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the number of disabled railcards in circulation has risen by 12 per cent year on year, which shows that accessibility is more important now more than ever before.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On the other hand, the closure of staffed ticket offices and a cut of \u00c2\u014150m from the \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Access for All\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 scheme threatens to throw the increasing accessibility of public transport backwards.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bOur public transport should be accessible to all members of the public \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and that includes disabled people,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 McGovern argued. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bFor too long this has not been the case and we still have a distance to go.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bAnything that moves us even further away from that goal must be actively campaigned against.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n