Transport

Three women, sitting in their wheelchairs, with their assistance dogs

April 12, 2018 0

Government set to ignore key air travel discrimination concerns

The government appears to be ignoring pleas to clamp down on significant areas of discrimination against disabled air passengers. The concerns arose after the Department for Transport (DfT) issued a progress report on its new aviation strategy. It included suggestions that it could “make flying more accessible for disabled passengers”, including improving assistance on

Transport

A small, cute, brown dog sits on an aircraft seat

March 22, 2018 0

Admission by aviation regulator is latest step in assistance dogs aircraft battle

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The aviation regulator is being forced to change guidance that appears to discriminate against many disabled people who want to take their assistance dogs with them on commercial flights. Guidance issued through a safety notice by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) states that assistance dogs must have had their training, behaviour, health and welfare

Transport

March 22, 2018 0

Equality watchdog calls for court action over BA’s PA ticket ‘discrimination’

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The equality watchdog has called for the courts to decide if airlines are discriminating against disabled people by refusing to allow them to make simple alterations to tickets bought for their personal assistants (PAs). The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) called this week on businesses like British Airways (BA) to ask themselves if

Transport

Doug Paulley in his wheelchair, surrounded by supporters outside the Supreme Court

March 15, 2018 0

Ministers finally publish bus wheelchair space report… then announce more talks

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Ministers have finally announced that they will act to protect the rights of wheelchair-users to travel on buses, nearly 14 months after a ground-breaking Supreme Court ruling. The Supreme Court ruled in January 2017 that First Bus had breached its duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people under the Equality Act through its

Transport

Rachael Monk, laughing, head and shoulders

March 15, 2018 0

British Airways PA ticket policy ‘discriminates’ against disabled woman

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A disabled woman is having to pay hundreds of pounds extra to fly to Canada to visit a friend because British Airways (BA) has refused to make a simple alteration to a ticket she bought for one of her two personal assistants (PAs). Rachael Monk, from Dumfries and Galloway, has accused BA of disability

Transport

March 8, 2018 0

Motability ‘tit for tat’ row intensifies as bosses and minister give evidence

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The public “tit for tat” row between the government and Motability has intensified after senior figures in the organisation and the minister for disabled people gave evidence to MPs. The Treasury and work and pensions select committees are holding a joint inquiry following political and media criticism of how the car scheme for disabled

Transport

March 8, 2018 0

Coach company’s wheelchair policy puts drivers at risk of criminal record

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A coach company is ignoring access laws by refusing to allow wheelchair-users to travel on its services on the same day they buy tickets, while exposing its drivers to possible criminal charges. Transport laws state that any company that has already introduced accessible coaches – even though this is not obligatory until 2020 –

Transport

Esther McVey speaking in the House of Commons

February 22, 2018 0

Tory peer attacks McVey over ‘litany of inaccuracies’ on Motability

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A Tory peer has accused work and pensions secretary Esther McVey of making a series of untrue statements about the Motability car scheme to fellow MPs. Lord Sterling, who co-founded Motability in 1977, has told McVey in a letter that he found the “litany of inaccuracies” in the comments made by her and fellow

Transport

Andrew Knowlman in his wheelchair in front of a van with a woman behind him

February 22, 2018 0

Call for government to ditch ‘discriminatory’ PIP rules for NHS care home stays

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Campaigners are calling on the government to scrap a policy that prevents disabled people with complex healthcare needs receiving the benefits they need to stay mobile if they are living in residential homes. Little-known regulations apparently state that recipients of NHS Continuing Healthcare (NHS CHC) are not eligible to receive the mobility component of

Transport

February 15, 2018 0

Motability row sparks anger and demand to use huge reserves to support customers

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Disabled campaigners have reacted to the political row over the Motability car scheme by calling for the organisation that runs it to use part of its huge financial reserves to increase support for disabled people. Details emerged in a newspaper last week of the “grotesque” levels of pay and bonuses awarded to senior executives

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