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News - GAVIN SECURES VICTORY FOR WHEELCHAIR PASSENGERS

In a previous edition of “In Touch” we explained how Gavin Brown had taken action to help make life easier for wheelchair passengers using buses in Edinburgh.

We can now announce that some notable successes have been achieved, following dialogue with Lothian Buses. A number of timetables have been revised to make it clear which services are wheelchair friendly and which ones are not. Updates will then be made on all the relevant future print runs.

Lothian Buses will also review what measures can be taken to highlight accessible services within the on-street timetable information panels and in 2007 technical updates to the ‘bus tracker’ system will allow wheelchair accessible journeys to be highlighted via each display screen.

In a letter to Gavin, Lothian Buses said: -

“Largely as a result of your previous suggestion, a number of our timetable leaflets now feature a more specific logo indicating to customers wheelchair accessibility.”

Gavin commented: -

“Lothian Buses are to be praised for taking such swift action and promoting a progressive policy. I will now campaign for other bus companies in Edinburgh to adopt a similar approach and get my colleagues across Scotland to do the same.

To cap it all, it is pleasing that this all started after I was asked a question by a young girl at the Festival of Politics."