Report to Partnership Board Transport

1. Report to Partnership BoardTransport Craig Hart

2. Nigel’s Answers to Our Questions • Bus passes: up to the local authority to allow bus passes to work before 9am. He said there was a lack of money stopping them. • Job interviews before 9am: there is financial support for travel through ‘access to work’. • Needs of people with learning difficulties on buses: Nigel said drivers were meant to be trained and to recognise the needs of people with learning disabilities. And people with learning difficulties are supported to do the training.

3. Nigel’s Questions - 2 • Mobility allowance being cut: Nigel said there was a public evaluation being done. • Wheelchair users on the train: they should have priority over bikes. • Bus drivers not parking at the kerb: there is a gap that some people can’t get over. Nigel said bus drivers are trained to do this at all times by the bus company. You should report them to the bus company.

4. Nigel’s Questions - 3 • Easy read timetables: Nigel said companies in the UK were being asked to do provide easy read timetables. Merseyside is very good at this. • Travel training: people are being encouraged to join travel training schemes by the Department of Transport. There will be a good practice guide out early 2011. There is also a training council for transport called ‘Go Skills.’

5. Transport Sub-Group • At the National Forum, we talked about Nigel’s answers. • I suggested the reps in each regions do some transport training and at the same time do a survey about what people think about transport in their region. • The surveys would be looked at by the Transport Group. Then they could pick some issues out of the surveys.