This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Travel Access Review conference
16/09/2003
Accessible public transport for people
with disabilities is
a key priority for the Executive, the
Scottish Travel Access Review conference in Edinburgh was
told today.
Transport Minister Nicol Stephen
said the Executive was actively pursuing ways of improving
access.
He said:
"The Executive is committed to
promoting accessible public transport for
people with disabilities to ensure services match the needs
of passengers.
"I am delighted to be speaking at
today's conference, which the Executive has helped to
organise as part of our commitment to raising awareness
about accessible transport during the European Year of
Disabled People.
"In line with this commitment the
Executive has already delivered with disabilities
free off-peak local bus travel across
Scotland for older people and people with disabilities. We
are committed to consulting on how we can best
extending this further to provide a national
free off-peak bus
scheme.
"To help older people and people with
disabilities access shopping, leisure and health services,
the Executive is also supporting pilot projects that
provide door-to-door transport for these groups as part of
our Demand-Responsive Transport scheme. Pilot schemes,
currently operating in Angus and Aberdeenshire, will be
extended later this year to other areas and used to
identify how we can develop the scheme further in the
future.
"Through these initiatives we are
helping to
deliver our commitment to social inclusion
forpeople with disabilities."
The Scottish Travel Access Review
conference stemmed from an Executive commitment, in
partnership with the Scottish Steering Group of the
European Year of Disabled People, to raise awareness about
transport.
A multi-agency planning group, led by
the Community Transport Association has organised today's
conference. The purpose of the event is to promote access
to public transport for disabled people in Scotland through
the demonstration and promotion of best practice.
The aim is to use the conference to bring
about positive and beneficial changes in transport service
provision.
The conference was targeted at key
decision-makers in the passenger transport industry to
engage them in meaningful debate with disabled
travellers.
The Executive also aims to
improve accessibility in rural areas through the Rural
Community Transport Initiative. A total of £8.1 million has
been awarded to 132 projects through the initiative, which
offers a wide range of services including Dial-a-Bus,
Dial-a-Ride, and voluntary car schemes.