Your voice could change ‘transport landscape’

If you – or anyone in your family – has experiences of disability access, you could have the chance to change the transport landscape.

That’s the view of Damian Joseph-Bridgeman, inclusivity advocate and board member of the National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat). His comment was reported in the latest Independent Living newsletter.

This could interest MMHS residents with experience in this area

More than 1,000 people have joined ncat’s research panel which consults with disabled people – plus their families and carers – on transport in the UK. They want to increase members for that panel, called the Community for Accessible Transport (CAT) – and that could interest MMHS residents with experience in this area.

‘In truth, I want to get as many marginalised voices feeding into policy and research development as possible,’ said Damian.

‘It’s important because we’re trying to make society the most inclusive it can be – and sometimes it’s the quietest voices that might have the spark needed to change the transport landscape.’

Most of the panel are disabled people or the family member/carer of a disabled person. The rest includes non-disabled professionals who work in the transport or disability sectors.

The panel’s aim is to consult with disabled people on their experience of accessing transport, so ncat can record a full picture of how disabled people use – or don’t use – transport and why.

The Centre can then go on to make recommendations and instigate change in how transport systems in the UK should become more accessible to disabled people.

‘It’s not necessarily the people that have the visibility already but those sitting around the kitchen table saying “I want to go somewhere but I’m struggling to get on a train”,’ said Damian Joseph-Bridgeman.

‘They are the people who need their voice heard, and that is what we are trying to do through ncat and its Community of Accessible Transport panel.’

It covers areas such as barriers to accessing transport

So far, the panel has taken part in four research projects – covering areas such as barriers to accessing transport, ways that disabled people plan their journeys, the role of local authorities and the UK ‘streetscape’.

‘(The CAT panel) is an opportunity for disabled people to get involved, and to be a part of the research,’ said panel member Anis. ‘ncat offers compensation for your time and feeds information back to you, which I really appreciate. You’re included in the whole process, not left in the dark.’

If any MMHS residents with experiences of disability want to find out more, they can click here or call 020 8152 3236.