On 29 March 2022, the Government announced a £2.5m package to support disabled people in travelling more confidently on our transport network.
The new funding includes £1.5m allocated to support all 13 Mobility Centres across England in rolling out a ‘Hubs Mobility Service’. These services are aimed at helping people stay mobile after they have been advised to stop driving or if they are unable to learn to drive due to their disabilities - offering them advice on alternatives such as powered wheelchairs, community transport and local services.
In addition, £1m has been provided to lifeline ferries and seaports serving the Isle of Wight and Isles of Scilly to improve accessibility.
The announcement comes at a time when 1,000 accessibility audits have been carried out, of a total 2,565 railway stations in Great Britain.
The audits were committed to as part of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail and, while the audits themselves won't solve the problems faced by many who wish to use the rail network, they will at least go towards producing a new public database to enable people to better plan their journeys with knowledge of what's available and will ultimately, along with input from disabled passengers, shape future investment in accessible rail travel.
Let's hope that this most recent announcement is a move in the right direction and the start of many aimed at ensuring disabled people can travel confidently on our transport network.
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