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Summary of feedback from transport operators
A6.2 The following operators were invited to comment on the draft report findings. Those marked with an asterisk actually responded:
- BAA
- Loganair*
- A small bus company (contact via CPT)
- FirstScotrail*
- Lothian Buses*
- HIAL Ltd*
- A coach operator (contact via CPT)
- FirstBus
- Travel Dundee*
- SCOTS (representatives of local authority roads services, responsible for street environment
- Handicabs Lothian
- ATCO
A6.3 The key points raised by the respondents were as follows:
- The main objectives of the research and the challenges identified appeared to be reasonable. One operator specifically welcomed the emphasis on empirical research in the work, in order to give an accurate idea of the demand for travel from disabled people.
- Operators strive to provide accessibility for disabled people (with a range of disabilities) within the constraints under which they operate and which are placed on them by government. Some operators did however that there is a limit on the level of accessibility that they can provide and that absolute complete "equality of mobility" may never be achieved.
- If government decides that higher standards are required (e.g. that fully accessible vehicles should be introduced more quickly than previously agreed) it is for government to fund this.
- Operators tended to take a view specific to the mode that they provide. FirstScotrail, for example, are working hard to ensure that disabled people can get joined-up travel information for rail journeys. However, they did not feel that they could easily provide multi-modal information/journey planning to the same kind of level - this is more of a government responsibility.
- Respondents from the air travel sector pointed out, reasonably, that much of the consultation related to surface travel and so their responses were a little more limited.
- Some operators pointed out that attempting to provide for one type of disability can sometimes conflict with providing for another, and that this is a "difficult line to tread". In addition, advice or guidance from different parts of government can on occasion be in conflict.
- Operators echoed the findings of the report in expressing the view that the biggest priority for action in the future is to make the journey experience for disabled people as "joined up" and consistent as possible.
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