The Motability car scheme has been asked to justify tough new rules that restrict grants made to disabled drivers with high support needs, at the same time that its charitable trust has reserves of nearly £200 million. Last June, the charity […]
Transport
ELECTION 2015: Lib Dem president’s bus horror ‘proves need for new law’
The disabled president of the Liberal Democrats has complained of her “outrageous” treatment by a conductor who refused to ask a young dad to move his child’s buggy from the wheelchair space on a near-empty London bus. Baroness Brinton, a wheelchair-user […]
Six years on, Trailblazers go back undercover on buses, trains and taxis
Young disabled campaigners are to go undercover across the UK to find out whether access to public transport has improved since they carried out a “damning” study six years ago. Members of the Trailblazers network will check out buses, trains and […]
More than 100 a week losing their Motability vehicles, thanks to PIP
More than 100 disabled people every week are losing their Motability vehicles after being assessed for the government’s new disability benefit the charity has confirmed. The figures appears to confirm fears that the replacement of working-age disability living allowance with the […]
Equality watchdog funds ‘David and Goliath’ bus access appeal
A disabled campaigner has won backing from the equality watchdog to continue his legal battle to protect the rights of wheelchair-users to travel on buses. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has decided to support wheelchair-user Doug Paulley’s appeal to […]
Campaign seeks solution to rail access nightmare
A wheelchair-user has launched a campaign for access improvements to her local train station, so she will no longer have to use an unlit park where she was threatened and harassed by a mugger. Julie Forshaw’s home town station of Todmorden […]
Court’s ‘extraordinary’ judgment on bus access leaves campaigners ‘appalled’
The “extraordinary” failure of three court of appeal judges to protect the rights of wheelchair-users to travel on buses has left disabled campaigners “frustrated” and “appalled”. The judgement over-turned a county court ruling that wheelchair-users should have priority in the use […]
Motability could face court action over ‘discriminatory’ new rules
The charity that oversees the Motability car scheme for disabled people is facing possible legal action over new rules that appear to discriminate against drivers with high support needs. Last week, Disability News Service (DNS) told how the rules – introduced […]
‘More commuting help needed for disabled cyclists’
Far more disabled people in England and Wales cycle to work than previously thought, but those planning transport and infrastructure improvements must do more to take their access needs into account, say campaigners. They spoke out after new research revealed that […]
Motability rule change ‘discriminates against drivers with high support needs’
New rules introduced secretly by the Motability car scheme mean only disabled people who spend more than 12 hours-a-week in education, work, volunteering or caring will be given grants to lease a vehicle they can drive from their wheelchair. The Specialised […]