Deserving Winners

email to a friend | user comments

Published: 26 October 2005

Deserving Winners

"Disabled people deserve to be winners when they travel to the London Olympics" said Neil Betteridge, Chair of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC).

Speaking before he appeared at the Transport Select Committee's inquiry into Olympic Transport at the House of Commons, Neil Betteridge said:
"London 2012 could be the most accessible Olympics ever. This is a challenge that the Department for Transport and Transport for London must rise to as they bring the Olympic Transport Authority into being."

Neil set out a five point plan to give disabled people a sporting chance to get to the Games on time.

A strong legal basis
The London Olympic Bill should state that the new duties the Government has created for public bodies to meet disabled people's needs, eliminate discrimination & promote equality of opportunity apply to the Olympic Delivery and Transport Authorities.

Commitment from the top
Transport for London and its successors in the Olympic Transport Authority must establish Board level responsibility for access issues.

Adequate human and financial resources
Qualified staff need to lead a team of high quality professional access consultants.

The government will get better dividends in the long run for its public investment if accessibility is designed in from the start, rather than shoehorned in later.

Involvement of disabled people at every level
Nationally the Government needs to involve bodies like DPTAC and the Disability Rights Commission.

Locally the Olympic Transport Authority, Transport for London & others should involve disabled people who live and work in the areas affected by Olympic transport proposals.

A two way process of consultation must offer the correct information in the right format and manner at the appropriate time.

Binding commitments
The Department for Transport and Transport for London should ensure that developers and contractors sign up to our 'Commitment to Inclusive Design', which sets out straightforward principles and clear guidance to deliver accessibility in every Olympic transport project from conception to the closing ceremony.

Neil continued:
"The Transport Committee has today given us the opportunity to fire the starting pistol for the race to an accessible Olympics".

Further information
'Going for Gold: Delivering Excellent Transport for London's 2012 Olympic Games'

JMU Access Partnership, a pan-disability access consultancy service supported by RNIB

'Commitment to Inclusive Design'

Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC)
The committee (with a maximum of 20 members of whom at least half must be disabled people), represents a wide range of transport interests, and provides expert advice on a broad range of transport issues aimed at improving access for disabled people.