Claire Walters, Chief Executive of Bus Users, has been appointed Disability and Access Ambassador for the bus and coach industry.
The voluntary role which initially runs for a one-year term, requires leaders in their fields to be champions for access and disability inclusion. Each candidate is expected to drive improvements to the accessibility and quality of services and facilities in their sectors.
In its search for candidates, the Government’s Disability Unit looks for ambassadors who are ‘ambitious, passionate and dynamic, with strong networks and the ability to reach out to a wide range of organisations and to create momentum for change.’
Claire Walters is delighted with the appointment: “Since joining Bus Users, I have put inclusion and accessibility at the forefront of our work. Public transport provides vital access to education, employment, shops, services and leisure facilities. For people with mobility issues and physical or mental disabilities who often have no other means of transport, it’s a lifeline.”
Claire believes that inclusive, accessible transport benefits everyone: “Making transport accessible improves the experience for all passengers, whether that’s through real-time audio and visual information, well-trained drivers and staff or capacity-checking and ticket-purchasing apps.
“And we don’t just benefit as individuals. Enabling people with mobility issues or disabilities to lead full and active lives boosts local economies, improves health and wellbeing, and reduces the costs and social impacts of people living in isolation.”
The role of Disability and Access Ambassador starts with immediate effect. To find out more about the appointment, visit the Government’s Disability Unit
Claire Walters joined Bus Users UK as Chief Executive in 2012. A champion of social inclusion, Claire has transformed Bus Users into a leading voice for accessible transport. Under her leadership, Bus Users is now a registered charity, an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution Body for bus and coach passengers, the nominated body for complaints under Passenger Rights in Bus and Coach Regulation, and a founding member of the Sustainable Transport Alliance.