Making travel more inclusivefor wheelchair users

2

Contents

3-45-6

7-1112-13

1415-16

1718

Forewords

The verdict – all travel is not created equal

Survey findings

Get on Board to make travel more inclusive

The journey so far

How you can Get on Board

A final word from Ruth Owen, Whizz-Kidz Chief Executive

Acknowledgements

I am delighted to introduce the Whizz-Kidz Get on Board report, which lays bare startling new feedback from wheelchair users about their experiences of public transport, and signals how things need to change to make travel more inclusive.

As an athlete I travel a lot, but things aren’t always easy. Like many disabled people who have taken part in this research, I get frustrated that I have to call 24 hours in advance to inform someone that I need to get on a train and if I have to fly I’m often concerned that my chair may be damaged when it is stowed away on the aircraft! When I was younger, I relied on my parents to drive me everywhere and made sure I got my driving licence when I turned 17, not because driving was a passion of mine – but because I knew I had to.

During the 2012 Paralympic Games, access and travel for wheelchair users was suddenly greatly improved and I had so many messages from people saying they could get to the stadium and venues on their own, there was easy access via transport and they felt confident getting out and about. Sadly though, this improvement didn’t last and reading about some of the experiences of wheelchair users in this report, it feels like things have gone backwards in places!

It’s clear travel providers must do their bit to make improvements to the experiences of their wheelchair using customers. But for me what’s also critical to sustained improvement is a change in public attitudes. During the Paralympics I was greatly heartened by a change in public perception and increased empathy for disabled travelers. Something as seemingly small as a willingness to just help you up that one step or move someone’s bags out of the way can transform a bad journey to a good one in seconds.

It’s really important that charities like Whizz-Kidz speak up for young wheelchair users and I am proud to support the Whizz-Kidz Get on Board campaign. We’re not demanding change overnight. We’re simply saying we want your support - big or small - to make travel inclusive. I encourage travel operators, staff, other passengers, and wheelchair users themselves to take inspiration from this report and make changes today so we can all Get on Board and travel safely, confidently and independently.

Hannah Cockcroft MBE, Paralympian and Whizz-Kidz Patron

Foreword

3

4

As members of the Whizz-Kidz Kidz Board, we represent one of the largest networks of young disabled people in the UK and work to ensure that young wheelchair users’ voices are at the heart of all of Whizz-Kidz’s decisions.

Where are you reading this report? Did you take public transport to get to where you are? Perhaps you are sitting on the bus, tram or the train? Perhaps you have just booked your annual holiday?

Can you imagine how different your life would be if getting on a train, bus or plane felt out of your reach, or you were too scared to go somewhere because of past negative experiences?

This report shows how many young wheelchair users live in a world which is limited because they lack access to and confidence in transport. The attitudes of transport staff and other passengers also have a big impact on experiences. Without the right access, support and respect to travel spontaneously and independently, it’s even harder for young wheelchair users to pursue chosen careers, access education or take part in social activities. We find ourselves both literally and metaphorically stuck!

Over the next two years, we are determined to improve the way in which young wheelchair users experience transport and reduce the social isolation felt by many of our peers and friends. Through the Get on Board campaign, we’ll be getting our voices heard at all levels, challenging the public and transport staff to think differently about wheelchair users and working with transport operators to make improvements to infrastructure, information and facilities so we can be more independent.

But we can’t make change happen alone - we need you!

We want to challenge, change and remove obstacles on our path to independent travel. We’re calling on members of the public, wheelchair users, transport staff and the wider community to join our campaign for more inclusive travel for wheelchair users.

Please read the report and make a pledge to Get on Board. Together, we can reach our final destination.

George and Kayleigh, on behalf of the Whizz-Kidz Kidz Board

Foreword continued...

The verdict: all travel is not created equalApproximately 11.5 million people (19% of the population) are currently disabled in the UK, with one in five reporting a disability experiencing difficulties when using transport.1 Transport has a significant impact on the lives of disabled people. Research shows that disabled people find it difficult to travel to basic services, such as hospitals, their GP or post office. They are more likely to turn down job interviews and offers and can find it difficult to go shopping, attend school or college and take holidays.2,3

This research reflects what Whizz-Kidz Ambassadors, our young wheelchair users, have been saying for a while: that reduced access to transport has a significant impact on their lives from their education, to where they work, visiting their friends and going out.

But anecdotal evidence was not enough. Whizz-Kidz wanted to build on current evidence about how transport affected service users, so in 2015

we conducted a survey, focus group and interviews with wheelchair users and their carers and families. Our aim was to better understand what wheelchair users really experience when travelling.

Despite the numerous reports, committees and campaigns that have taken place to improve accessibility for wheelchair users, the Whizz-Kidz findings paint a striking picture. Quite simply, they show that young wheelchair users, their families and carers, still do not have equal travel opportunities. A staggering three out of four respondents to our research were not able to travel as independently as they would like to and two thirds did not feel confident enough to use public transport. It is clear that improvements in access to, and confidence in, both public and private transport remains critical to achieving greater mobility and independence for young wheelchair users in the UK.

5

‘I feel like people don’t listen to me or take my needs seriously and I need help manoeuvring my chair in and out of transport.’

1 Department for Work and Pensions, Office for Disability Issues (2013), Fulfilling Potential: Building a deeper understanding of disability in the UK today.

2 Centre for Disability Studies (2006), Secondary analysis of existing data on disabled people’s use and experiences of public transport in Great Britain.

3 Papworth Trust (2013), Disability in the UK 2013.

6

Key findings• The majority of people (70%) said they do not feel they can travel as

independently as they would like to.

• Three quarters of people (77%) said they experience problems while travelling which mean they can’t travel as independently as they’d like to.

• Barriers in accessing public transport ranged from lack of accessible transport near where respondents live (67%), to being deterred by the attitude of staff (57%) or other passengers (61%).

• Two thirds (66%) said they simply do not feel confident enough to use public transport.

Survey findingsRespondents to the Whizz-Kidz survey included Whizz-Kidz service users, their families, carers and wider wheelchair users. The survey looked at six different areas covering:

• independent travel

• trains

• buses and coaches

• taxis

• planes

• underground, metro, tram or light rail.

The survey was sent out across the country between June and September 2015.

Of the 128 survey respondents, almost two thirds are wheelchair users, with the other third being carers of wheelchair users. Of those that completed the survey, a number of issues were explored:

• modes of public transport used by wheelchair users

• the frequency of public transport use

• what this tells us about user needs and trends (eg. why one mode of transport is used more than any other).

We also drew on anecdotal evidence from young disabled people and their parents through the Whizz-Kidz Ambassador network.

Being driven in a car by someone else is the most used mode of transport for disabled people across England and Wales.4 This is reinforced by Whizz-Kidz’s survey, which shows driving is the most common mode of transport for respondents with 54% of respondents being driven by a parent or carer daily and 14% driving their car independently daily.

However, the use of public transport on a daily basis is much lower, with 9% of respondents using buses or coaches, and just 4% using trains, the tram or Metro. Taxis were identified as a daily choice for transport for 10% of respondents.

Regular use of public transport

‘When travelling in the car I am as independent as anyone else, however when on public transport nine times out of 10 I must rely on the service and support of someone else which I find deeply frustrating. If you haven’t pre-booked assistance, spontaneity is difficult.’

4 Mori (2002), Attitudes of Disabled People to Public Transport

7

Planes

Taxis

Underground

Tram/Metro

Buses/Coach

Trains

Car-driving self

Car-parents/Carer driving

Daily Weekly Monthly Annually Never

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Main issues experienced when travelling by public transport

Frequency and most used mode of transport used bywheelchair users

ATTITU

DE

OF STAFF & PASSENG

ER

S

LA

CK

OF SUPPORT

INA

CC

ES

SIB

LE SPACES

CO

ST

S IN

VOLVED

ME

DIC

AL REASONS

AD

VA

NC

E BOOKING

8

9

Trains

Buses

Forty-seven per cent of survey respondents said lifts helped them to travel easily between platforms. However, 40% of respondents said they were not always able to board the first available train to their destinations.

Survey responses suggest that even though stations have the right access, the lack of assistance from public transport staff make the journeys much harder for wheelchair users. Forty-eight per cent of respondents said that even with booked assistance, there was not always someone at the station available to help, and 45% said there wasn’t always a platform guard to assist them.

Of those surveyed, 42% said buses in their locality are not suitable for wheelchairs.

Forty-six per cent of respondents said bus drivers are usually helpful and understanding, usually pulling close enough to the kerb for ramps to work, but half (51%) said drivers do not always give them enough

time to secure their wheelchair on the bus before moving off.

Space on buses is still an issue, with almost two thirds (62%) saying other passengers are not always quick to move prams out of wheelchair spaces to let them on board.

‘I only use the stations I know are accessible in advance and would never use them on my own as the trains are never level with the platform and there is always a big gap which is hard to jump, especially when it’s busy. I did once miss this jump so my small wheels fell into the gap. I then fell out of my chair onto the train.’

‘I’m sick and tired of the blame game. I don’t care whose fault it is the ramp hasn’t come. I just want to get off the train!’

‘I was really excited when National Express asked me to star in their DVD - I’ve never done anything like this before. I was really keen to take part because travel is such an important part of people’s lives and because it helps people live independently.’

‘It’s trusting I have someone to help me with access issues. For example I need the ramp to get off the train. Several times a month I had no one getting a ramp for me, even when called ahead of time.’

‘Staff are always helpful despite some members of the public being rude to them when they allow us on first.’

10

Taxis

Planes

Underground, metro, tram and light rail

More than three quarters of respondents were confident taxis will accommodate their wheelchair needs.

Seventy-seven per cent of people said taxis are a convenient way to travel, with 74% stopping at convenient locations for the passenger.

Anecdotal evidence tells a different story, with several respondents stating that the cost of taxis is a significant issue.

Though the use of planes is limited, more than three quarters (79%) of respondents have flown at some point. The majority of respondents said that they were able to book best priced flights to their destination, and 57% reported that they did not experience any difficulty booking in their wheelchair.

However, 75% of respondents raised concerns their wheelchairs would be damaged during the journey.

Seventy-one per cent of respondents said that in the past, they have not been able to use toilets while airborne, and more than half (62%) said there isn’t always an aisle wheelchair available to allow them to move around the aircraft. More worryingly, 47% of wheelchair users said they were not confident about being transferred to their seat in a safe and dignified manner.

Fifty-four per cent of respondents said there are not enough wheelchair accessible stops and 67% said there aren’t wheelchair spaces on every carriage.

Whilst the majority of people (70%) feel staff are understanding, almost three quarters (74%) said there isn’t always a member of staff around who can help them.

‘I travelled to college every day with usually the same driver [but] I have always found wheelchair taxis to cost far more than an ordinary taxi.’

‘The main problem I have had with taxi drivers is their attitudes. Some refuse to take me and it feels as if they don’t want to make an effort with me. The result: I don’t want to go out and feel isolated. I’ll go the extra mile to spend my money with somebody I trust.’

11

How does this impact on wheelchair users?The survey suggests that public transport continues to be a challenging issue for wheelchair users, with 70% of respondents saying they don’t feel able to travel independently. Lack of transport links, length of time it takes to travel and the cost of using public transport were identified as problems experienced by respondents.

The level of planning involved in using public transport is also a deterrent for many wheelchair users, carers and families who responded, with nearly two thirds stating that organising a journey requires too much advance planning.

While in London all buses, black cabs and access to trams are wheelchair accessible, a large percentage of our respondents who live outside of London (71%) reported more difficulty in accessing public transport.

Forty-five per cent of respondents said having inaccessible areas on trains and buses impacted heavily on their ability to travel independently.

A further 19% of respondents said that they found a lack of support from public transport staff – some said that bus and train drivers offered little support or did not know what to do in some instances.

The lack of support, combined with poor accessibility and negative attitudes towards wheelchair users, has played a large role in how wheelchair users and their carers use public transport. This is reflected in 77% of respondents stating that problems experienced whilst travelling have limited them in travelling as independently as they would like.

‘The best mode of transport for me to use is my wheelchair - I am in control. My wheelchair is as reliable as public transport should be.’

12

Wheelchair users have delivered a strong verdict on public transport and it is clear much more needs to be done to put young disabled people on the path to independence.

While there have been many improvements to transport over recent years, the sector still faces a number of challenges and some of

the ground gained following the Paralympics has lost momentum.

Based on what wheelchair users, their carers and families told us, we are calling for a number of recommendations to be acted on.

Get on Board to make travel more inclusive

Leading the way with the Accessible Travel AllianceWhizz-Kidz believes that by working together, we can drive positive change and make a real lasting difference to disabled people’s experience of travel. That’s why we established the Accessible Travel Alliance – to help make things better, together.

The Alliance brings together operators from across the transport sector who are committed to working together, drawing on the expertise of the Whizz-Kidz network, to spearhead improvements and share best practice.

RECOMMENDATIONS1 IMPROVEMENTS2 RESPECT3 UNDERSTAND

ING

4 INVOLVEMEN

T

5 REPRESEN

TATION

We want improvements to infrastructure, information and facilities…so that the network is more accessible for wheelchair users

We want the general public to respect young wheelchair users’ right to travel...so that they do not feel scared to travel alone

We want regular and meaningful disability awareness training…so that staff are more understanding of young wheelchair users 

We want young disabled people to be involved in the planning, auditing and design of services and policies…so that their voices are heard at all levels

We want wheelchair users to be represented in travel marketing materials…so that people can see what young wheelchair users can do, not what they can’t

‘We engage with disabled people through a variety of channels and would encourage other transport operators to do the same.’

Transport for London

‘Travel is vital to everyday life in the UK. High quality end-to-end journeys are the shared responsibility of transport operators, government and other stakeholders.’

Stagecoach Bus UK

‘We invest in the advice of our charity partners - calling on their specialist skills and knowledge to inform our decisions.’

Heathrow Airport Ltd

‘Recently we reviewed the guidance issued to passengers and staff relating to priority access to wheelchair users on our services. Following this we have improved signage to help reduce conflict on board buses.’

Stagecoach Bus UK

‘Increasing the prominence and profile of disabled travellers also increases our drivers confidence and capability when dealing with wheelchair users and the on-board equipment.’

National Express Coach UK

‘One of the biggest challenges is time schedules. The pressure for quick turnarounds adds additional stress to the disabled traveler.’

OmniServ

‘The biggest challenge is building confidence in disabled people to travel - supporting them to be informed about their journey and aware of the many ways in which we can help them travel.’

Heathrow Airport Ltd

13

What our Alliance members have said so far

‘Disabled people’s first-hand knowledge and understanding of the issues are instrumental to any enhancement programmes.’

OmniServ

‘We need to constantly make the case to government and business that investing in infrastructure that improves the lives of disabled people is necessary to help them access employment, education and leisure’

Transport for London

‘We passionately believe everyone has the right to travel. However we recognise there are some challenges out of our control which is why joined-up and partnership working is key.’

National Express Coach UK

14

Whizz-Kidz and transport providers have a strong track record of working together to make a real difference. With the current Alliance, we’re confident we can achieve more great results, building on our past campaigns (outlined below).

HE

ATH

RO

W A

IRP

OR

T

During the summer of sport for the UK in 2012, Heathrow was the first and last port of call for 80% of the Olympic and Paralympic Games visitors. But the Paralympics posed a different operational challenge for Heathrow to the Olympics. It was a challenge of complexity rather than volume – some flights had far higher numbers of passengers with reduced mobility and visual impairments, many of whom were wheelchair users.In order to meet this challenge, Heathrow asked Whizz-Kidz to provide first-hand, expert guidance on how to further improve the airport’s accessibility. Our young disabled experts audited Heathrow’s terminal facilities, making recommendations about how the experiences of disabled passengers could be improved. Some of our young Ambassadors also helped to produce a new training video for airport security staff.

George, one of the young people who took part, was really thrilled about the opportunity to help the airport get ready to welcome thousands of disabled passengers ahead of London 2012.

‘Our task was to give Terminal 5 a ‘wheelchair road test’ - including getting through security and even boarding a plane. Some of the changes Heathrow made in 2012 following our feedback were increasing the number of specialist lifts used to help disabled people get on and off an aircraft - which exceeds any other airport in Europe - new accessible toilets and an onsite wheelchair repair service.’

NAT

ION

AL

EX

PR

ES

S U

K C

OA

CH Coach giant National Express UK Coach

asked Whizz-Kidz to help produce a new

training DVD for the company’s 1000+ drivers.

The DVD - now a crucial part of a driver’s

toolkit - teaches drivers how to use the

on-board wheelchair lifts on every National

Express UK Coach and was produced as

part of National Express UK Coach’s Youth

Promise - a pledge to support young people.

The training film features Helen, a young

wheelchair user and Whizz-Kidz Ambassador,

using the coach wheelchair lift alongside an

in-depth look at how the pioneering technology

works. This is the first time the company, which

was the first in the UK to install wheelchair

lifts to its coaches, involved a service-user to

illustrate its technology in this way.

National Express UK Coach, Head of

Business Excellence, Mark Hollis, said:

‘Accessibility training is a large part of our driver training sessions and we were

determined to give our drivers something

they could take away with them and use afterwards. We hit on the idea of producing

a DVD, which is also available for them to

access online.

National Express UK Coach works with Whizz-Kidz on a range of projects including

their Youth Promise.

To get the best training for our drivers it

was really important to make sure the DVD

was authentic and accurate, a true reflection

of the issues travellers - and drivers - can

face. We were really keen to work with Whizz-Kidz to ensure we got it right. Helen,

and Whizz-Kidz will really help train the thousand or so National Express UK Coach

drivers we have on our network.’

The journey so far

15

How you can Get on BoardWhether you are a travel provider, member of transport staff, a carer, a politician, a regular passenger or wheelchair user, everyone has a role to play on the journey to inclusive travel. This report has set out the current environment and Whizz-Kidz’s recommendations for how to transform the life of every young wheelchair user in the UK by ensuring young disabled people have a more positive experience of travel and can use transport more independently and confidently.

Our Alliance partners are playing their part in creating a legacy for inclusive travel. We hope you join us too! We’d like you to raise awareness of the importance of inclusive travel by publicly showing your support for the campaign or, even better, by making a pledge setting out something you can do, however small, to support our recommendations. See what some of our supporters and Alliance partners have pledged so far on the next page!

To learn how you can support the Get on Board campaign, contact Whizz-Kidz on

020 7233 6600

Visit our website

whizz-kidz.org.uk/getonboard

Spread the word and pledge your support on Facebook or Twitter using

#getonboard

16

PLEDGEBOARD‘We will explore the potential of new technology to help empower disabled people when using public transport by providing information in different ways and delivering options to suit people with varying requirements.’

Stagecoach Bus UK

‘I will use my profile to inspire other young wheelchair users to get out and about using the transport network.’Hannah Cockroft, Paralympian

‘We’ll ensure that information is available on our website and in the airport for young disabled people to ensure that they’re well informed on the services and facilities we can provide at Gatwick to give them a great experience.’ Gatwick Airport Limited

‘We will involve more young people

in our driver training - this will

help ‘demystify’ the challenges

faced by disabled young people to

drivers and put a real-life human

face to the issues involved.’

National Express Coach UK

‘We will continue to invest in improving the accessibility of London’s transport network, by making stations step-free and coming up with new innovations that make travelling easier for disabled people.’

Transport for London

‘We will work with other Whizz-Kidz Ambassadors to launch regional campaigns on the transport issues affecting young wheelchair users in our local areas.’

Whizz-Kidz Kidz Board members

‘I will continue to provide young

wheelchair users with the skills

and tips to get out and about

and travel independently through

Whizz-Kidz Wheelchair Skills

Training sessions.’ James Downie,

Wheelchair Skills Trainer

‘We will improve the information available to young disabled people - helping them to understand how airport travel can cater for them and allowing them to make informed decisions about how they will travel through the airport.’

Heathrow Airport Ltd

‘We will remain at the

forefront of enhancing the

passenger experience

through our people and

technology.’OmniServ

17

‘While our survey showed many positive experiences of transport, it is disappointing that many young people, their carers and families still experience issues around the design of transport services and facilities. Their confidence is also affected by negative attitudes of passengers and a lack of awareness by some transport staff.

‘There is still a long way to go to make transport accessible for wheelchair users. We are confident that the recommendations in this report will prompt real change so young wheelchair users can travel more assuredly, safely, and independently.

‘By working together to make change happen, we will give young wheelchair users the chance to make the most of their lives and achieve their full potential. I hope you will join me and Get on Board to make travel more inclusive.’

Ruth Owen OBE Chief Executive, Whizz-Kidz

A final word

18

Acknowledgements

Whizz-Kidz would like to thank everyone who contributed to the survey, focus group, interviews and photoshoot. Your input is critical to achieving change.

We would also like to thank:

Aine Fox for analysing the survey results and helping write this report

Hannah Cockroft MBE for her foreword and ongoing support of Whizz-Kidz

The Help Agency for designing the report

Mathew Greer for taking the photographs

The Accessible Travel Alliance partners for their contributions to this report and their ongoing commitment to improving accessibility:

19

‘Travelling independently makes me feel like all of my peers, I can go out with friends and family and live the life of a young person. I deserve to have equal access to opportunities as everybody else. Manners and understanding go a long way - it is all in the attitude and intention of staff.’

Postal and registered address:4th Floor, Portland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5BH

T: 020 7233 6600 E: info@whizz-kidz.org.uk W: www.whizz-kidz.org.uk

Whizz-Kidz is the working name of the Movement for Non-Mobile Children Registered charity no. 802872 Charity registered in Scotland (No. SC042607)