Bus Users UK and the Community Transport Association (CTA) have joined forces to put accessible and inclusive transport firmly on the agenda at a parliamentary reception in Cardiff Bay.
Transport Equity – Accessible Transport for All, taking place at the Pierhead on Wednesday 23 September, brings together Senedd Members, transport operators, partners and stakeholders to explore how transport can provide equitable access to opportunities for people across Wales.
The event forms part of Catch the Bus Month and comes ahead of Community Transport Week in October. It will showcase good practice across the Welsh transport network and consider the barriers faced by disabled and older people, people with learning disabilities, those living on low incomes and communities in deeply rural areas.
The scale of the challenge is significant. Disabled people make 38% fewer journeys than non-disabled people, while research from the Motability Foundation estimates that completely closing the UK transport accessibility gap for disabled people could deliver benefits of up to £72.4 billion a year.
In Wales, 19% of the population does not have access to a car, rising to more than a third of people living in low-income households, according to the Bevan Foundation.
With contributions from a panel of expert speakers, the reception will explore innovative approaches already helping to remove barriers and open up access to work, education, healthcare and communities. It will also consider the wider role of inclusive transport in supporting a wellbeing economy and enabling people across Wales to live, learn, work and age well.
The reception is sponsored by Peredur Owen Griffiths MS and supported by Mark Hooper MS, Deputy Minister for Transport.
Gemma Lelliott, CTA Wales Director:
“We believe everyone should be able to access transport that meets their needs; to enable them to access work and education, to socialise and connect with the people and places they love, to stay healthy and well, to care for others and receive care in turn. This reception will focus on how inclusive transport is opening up opportunities for people across Wales, and what more needs to happen to make this truly equitable across the country.”
Barclay Davies, Bus Users UK Director for Wales:
“Transport equity begins with accessibility. Buses are the most widely used form of public transport and, for many people, they are the only realistic travel option. Ensuring that services are accessible, reliable and inclusive is critical to enabling independence, supporting communities and creating a transport network that works for everyone.”
Find out more about the Community Transport Association, Wales