Posts by James Davidson

Why do Blue Badge holders have an exemption for LEZs?

  You may wonder why Blue Badge holder vehicles which do not meet minimum emission standards for the Low Emission Zones (LEZs) in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow are exempt. Our response to that is – have you or someone close to you ever travelled with a disability? When using a car with a disability, mobility may be an issue in terms of getting from the car to wherever you’re going, which is why Blue Badge spaces are always right at an entrance and have more space to account for things such as wheelchairs. Public transport can be fantastic, but
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Travel Information During UCI Cycling World Championships 2023

From 3 August 2023 to 13 August 2023, the UCI World Cycling Championships take place in various locations across Scotland. The Championships are expected to have major impacts on the road and transport network. The circuit means there will be road closures in and around Glasgow and one of the roads affected is Gordon Street which is right outside Glasgow Central Station. This is where people are often dropped off and where the taxi rank is located. During the Championships, the taxi rank will be relocated to Hope Street, this also has level access with a similar slope gradient to the
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Accessible Travel Framework Review

Some members may be aware that Disability Equality Scotland has been supporting Transport Scotland with research and evaluation, to monitor the overall progress of the Accessible Travel Framework, and its impact on disabled people, since its launch some 7 years ago.  This research work is also linked to the work that Disability Equality Scotland is supporting around hate crime related to transport – in that one of the core outcomes of the ATF is to ensure disabled people feel comfortable and safe when using public transport. This includes being free from hate crime, bullying and harassment when travelling. Accessible Travel
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Next Steps for National Parks in Scotland

Next Steps for National Parks in Scotland Communities across Scotland are being asked to consider whether their local area could be designated as the country’s newest national park.  Individuals, groups or organisations considering making a proposal can now register early interest. Nominations will officially open later this year, once the appraisal framework has been finalised. Visiting Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity Lorna Slater said: “I look forward to engaging with communities and learning more about their proposals, and I encourage everyone to get involved as we move closer to naming Scotland’s
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Help Advice Scottish Ministers on Accessible Travel

Scottish Ministers are looking to appoint up to four Members of the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS). MACS was set up under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 to advise Scottish Ministers on the barriers and challenges for disabled people in relation to transport. While supported by Transport Scotland, the Committee offers its views independently of government and it is expected to reflect the views of disabled people and organisations representing disabled people, however, it works independently of those individuals and organisations. MACS are seeking to appoint four roles at this time to commence in October 2023.  There are
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Making Accessible Connections Between Trains and Ferries

The Making Connections project created opportunities for transport operators, designers and disabled and Deaf people to work together, between February and August 2019, to explore a process for improving connections between train stations and ferry terminals. NorthLink Ferries, CalMac Ferries, ScotRail, a design team, a number of organisations representing disabled people and more than ten disabled participants made regular contributions throughout the project process. Many others attended project events. The project resulted in innovative ideas for better services, a Book of Challenges and Ideas, a film and a website. A response to one of the ideas was in development by
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News: Communication with Transport Providers in Scotland – Report Published

We are delighted to be launching our summary report on the four-part weekly poll series we conducted in October and November 2022! This series of questions focused on experiences of communication with transport providers in a variety of forms and across all key modes of transport, including bus, rail, and ferries. The key forms of communication that the series focused on were access to information, points of contact with transport providers, formats of inclusive communication being provided, and experiences with consultation and coproduction. This report was an opportunity to highlight current lived experiences relating to communication with transport providers in
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Webinar Invite: Join us for Discussing the future of the Accessible Travel Framework

Wednesday 8 February 2023 2:00pm – 3:30pm This webinar will be an opportunity to discuss what you think the key priorities for Accessible Travel in Scotland should be in the coming years and share your insights about what impactful change you would like to see. We will hear from Steven Dora the Accessible Travel and Blue Badge Policy Team Leader for Transport Scotland and Lyn Pornaro the Chief Executive Officer for Disability Equality Scotland. They will both share updates of where Transport Scotland and Disability Equality Scotland are now with the work being done in relation to the Accessible Travel
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Glasgow Airport to Pilot Special Assistance Passenger Support App

Glasgow Airport is trialling an app to ensure all passengers who require additional support get the help they need. Approximately 25% of requests for special assistance are made on the day of travel and are not pre-arranged for a number of reasons.  The PRM Assist app will supplement the current service which is usually pre-arranged by the passenger via their airline or booking agent. This means that Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) passengers who have been unable to book assistance with their airline can do so using the new app, or it will allow the airport’s service provider OCS to
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Save the Date: Discussing the Future of the Accessible Travel Framework

Join us on Wednesday 8 February 2023 from 2:00pm – 3:30pm as we host an online discussion about the Accessible Travel Framework.  This webinar is an opportunity to discuss what you think the key priorities for Accessible Travel in Scotland should be in the coming years and share your insights about what impactful change you would like to see. We will hear from key staff at Transport Scotland and Disability Equality Scotland, who will share updates of where we are now and what they feel are the key priorities of the framework from the perspective of their organisations moving forward.
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