TFL Accessibility

These two links provide very useful information on disabled access schemes, used by 'Transport for London'.

travel mentoring
If you are disabled and desire assistance when exploring different or new travel options, please follow the above link. 

TfL buses
Should you require any information regarding disability access on TfL buses, please check the link provided, above.

Transport For All - Mobility Forum

KAT was successful yesterday by using 3 members (Marie Cummings, Stuart Disspain, and myself, Patrick Goodacre) to represent the new 'KAT group' at the 'Pan-London Mobility Forum'. Above, the meeting's agenda is displayed.

Below I made a series of notes throughout. 
After an introduction, Louise Ellmann MP, provided a talk as Chair of Commons Transport Select Committee, to begin proceedings. Although much to me seemed as 'political talk', the issue of wheelchair spaces on buses arose, and she quite easily accepted my story described below, 'rules are rules', assuring me that I had acted correctly.

The meeting progressed on to the next topic. Gareth Powell, Director of Strategy and Service Development at London Underground, gave a very good talk. As proclaimed by Boris Johnson yesterday, Mr Powell told that parts of the London Underground will be working 24hours-per-day in 2015. With the aim of accessible information being available to all passengers, on top of current posters etc, there will be WiFi throughout. There will be no 'back room staff'. All will be easily accessible. Boarding ramps are, of course, still an issue, but the issue is being heavily concentrated on.

Throughout yesterday's meeting people with issues regarding more local issues have been told to contact their MP.

As the Member of Parliament for Kingston & Surbiton, I provide the link to Ed Davey's webpage

Edward Davey

020 8288 0161

Although not directly to do with transport the 'Inclusion London' organisation gave a very good presentation. The group will be worth contacting if you have a more generic issue regarding deafness or disability.

www.inclusionlondon.co.uk

020 7237 3181

Below, is an exact copy of the brief notes made throughout the meeting.

MP  'we will'...

Wheelchair/bus story accepted by MP

Underground

Partially London underground 24hr 2015

Staffing at 100%

but more staff

Wifi at stations for passengers

No back room staff, all accessible

Currently 7500 staff

Introducing staff to help, badged, etc

More staff at the front of stations 

Working on manual boarding ramps - by mid next year

It's all about speaking to the right people

"It is not 'what you know', it's all 'who you know'"

Stuart has been making useful connections with bus garages in RBK

We should connect with our MP

Transportselectcommitee

InclusionLondon

Public transport using Kingston bridges, at winter sunset...

Surbiton - Wimbledon by train

… in a wheelchair

http://www.tfl.gov.uk

(click to enlarge)

rules are rules...

… create them, advertise them, advertise yourself through them, then you have to act by them…
I was in Kingston earlier in the week, waiting in the rain for a bus back to my hometown of Surbiton. A bus arrived, but the driver explained that he couldn't let me on because he had two buggies on, using up the 'wheelchair space'. I am used to this and usually accept the request, and wait for another bus. I had been at work for KCIL earlier in the day, and felt it time to test the situation…
I use the buses regularly in my wheelchair and so I knew my plan. I directed the driver to the sign in the bus prioritising wheelchairs (below).

He explained 'but the buggies are here…'
So, as I was grumpy (I admit), I asked for his registration number,
'what was that?'
'Could I take you registration number please?' 
I was acting as if I would then wright and complain.
He then went to talk to the parents.
The next moment, I saw the two mothers wheeling their prams off the bus. 
I apologised sincerely, to which the parents very willingly accepted, and I timidly boarded the bus, in their place.

I felt bad, and guilty. I have just accepted the bus driver's initial denial, on every other occasion. 
'there is nothing wrong, you are just playing by the rules' i told myself, consoling my misdemeanour.