What is this about?

In 2005 the Human Rights Commission held an inquiry into accessible public transport.

This means they asked a lot of disabled people about their experiences using public transport.

The Human Rights Commission wrote a report with the things disabled people said.

It is called…

The Accessible Journey: Report of the Inquiry into Public Land Transport

The accessible journey means ...

All the different parts of getting to and from public transport, from leaving your front door to getting on the bus, train or taxi.

For example: Catching the bus

• When you leave your front door and travel to the bus stop:

• is the footpath safe to use
• are the curb cuts (going from the footpath to the road) ok to go over on your wheelchair or walking stick?

• When you get to the bus stop:

• does an accessible bus turn up
• is the bus timetable easy to read
• are there voice announcements that you can hear if you can’t see
• does the footpath meet up well with the front door of the bus?
  

• When you get on the bus:

• is the bus driver helpful
• is there a place that you can sit safely
• can you reach the button to make the bus stop
• does the bus meet up evenly with the pavement so you can get off safely?
  

• When you’re going where you want to go:

• can you use the footpath safely
• can you get to the front door of the place you are going?
  

• When you’re going home again:

• is another accessible bus going to turn up to take you home again?

In The Accessible Journey, disabled people said …

Being able to use public transport is important.

It means disabled people are able to:

• go to work
• get out and about in the community
• go to education courses
• get to appointments, such as the doctor or hospital.

What have disabled people said about public transport?

Disabled people said a lot of public transport is not easy for them to use.

Changes are not happening quickly enough to make sure disabled people can use public transport.

There is no one place or person that is in charge of making sure disabled people can use public transport.

The Human Rights Commission said the following things need to happen:

• There needs to be the same rules for public transport across New Zealand.
  
• People who are responsible for public transport and drive public transport need to have disability awareness training.
  
• Disabled people need to be involved in all parts of planning and delivery of public transport.

What has happened since 2005?

• The Government said it will commit to making a plan of making public transport accessible by July 2009.
  
• Design standards for buses and wheelchair accessible vans have been improved.
  
• When people apply for new licences to drive buses and taxis, they must take disability awareness training.
  
• The number of super-low-floor buses increases every year.
  
• Some councils have introduced real time schedule information, on-board announcements and different ticketing.
  
• ll new train carriages for Wellington and Auckland trains are accessible.
  
• The Ministry of Transport is looking at making improvements to improve Total Mobility.

These changes have made public transport better for all people,
not just disabled people.

What is happening in 2009?

The Commission is working with Disabled people and will have another look at what work is being done

They will make sure that the recommendations are being put in place.

What do you think?

The Human Rights Commission is interested in what you think and is doing a survey.

Make sure you fill it out and send it in to have your say.

The on-line survey is available here or print out a paper version here (PDF 58Kb).