Yes, this is indeed an issue of concern to me as a wheelchair user who has found public transport a definite no-no.
However, Arriva! appears to be addressing this issue and improve the situation as early as possible. Yes, it's not the best situation for disabled people like me to have to depend, on some level, on others to make use of public transport once again. Indeed, when I started using Arriva! for the first time, I really felt included in society in a way. Of course, as a disability activist, I am not happy with the situation at the moment. On the other hand, although disabled people currently might have to contact Arriva! to ensure their access needs are met, I also remember the time when people like me were completely excluded from public transport.
In addition, it must be noted that disabled people making use of public transport don't have to pay the fee. While this may be interpreted as charity by some commentators, the fact remains that one can see this as a form of "compensation" for the many years I couldn't make use of public transport at all. It must be also acknowledged that change doesn't happen overnight and I was disappointed when only few disabled people seemed to talk about the positive development of accessible public transport. This isn't meant to be justifying the problems being caused by the faulty ramps. Indeed, one shouldn't interpret my comments to be a discrediting of the points raised in the blog post being discussed. However, we must acknowledge that efforts to resolve the situation are underway. Many of us have waited for almost a decade from exclusion. Can we not wait a little more?
I must also redress the point made regarding lack of disability equality training for Arriva! personnel. Indeed, I myself have been involved in such training through my work at the local commission for disabled people. Indeed, I have been involved in conducting DET sessions with other employees working in the Maltese transport sector. Of course, there is still shortcomings as regards attitudes of disabled people. In this sense, I can identify problem with the perception that disabled people only speak out when they are faced with difficulties and problems. I feel that, as disabled people, we have to be more pro-active. Unfortunately, the challenge of disabled people in my position is that as we pursue our activist role, we have to face the challenges posed by a disabling society on a daily basis. And this poses limits to what one person can do. Even if this is not an excuse, if you're committed to one cause or another, it does feel like an excuse.
Well, what I wish to say is that it's important to put the current situation within a particular context. While, as stated before, the this shouldn't be read as an apologetic for Arriva!, I only proposing that that drastic action should be taken if this situation is not resolved in a short and reasonable time frame. Even if it's not satisfactory, we are temporarily unable to access public transport when we want as other non-disabled people can. In a way, we have returned to a situation where our rights to access public transport are unequal. Yet, at the same time, we are not completely excluded from using it as we situation up to two years ago in Malta.
I don't like to promote my own blogs on public lists. However, it might be appropriate to share a post where I describe my first experiences with using Arriva! I wrote this post last year when the service was still in the early days. This entry was called "Adventures on Arriva!" and can be read at:
http://gdzone.gordongd.com/2011/11/adventures-on-arriva.html
Thanks,
Gordon
Gordon C. Cardona
BA Hon. (Malta), MA (Leeds)
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“If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
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HH The 14th Dalai Lama (6 July 1935 - present)
On 24 May 2012, at 08:40, Dr. Andrew Azzopardi wrote:
> Cheers Keith
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Keith Armstrong [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 11:08 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]; Andrew Azzopardi
> Cc: Keith Armstrong
> Subject: Re: blog post on public transport
>
> Andrew,
>
> Sadly these buses were removed from Londons' Streets and sold cheaply to the private bus provider in Malta, as a Londoner, I feel able to make a few comments on your blog. The term "Bendy-bus" was invented by one Boris Johnson (whose first act as Mayor of London was to stop all access improvements to the London Underground) or one of his associates, and does treat this low-floor articulated bus with the respect it deserves due to the design technology the vehicle incorporates.
>
> I am surprised to learn that Arriva in Malta has had problems in getting spare parts for the access features used by the bus as this model of vehicle is used extensively throughout Europe as well as in the USA and Canada. If my memory serves me correctly the manufacturer of the ramp technology is Canadian, although, I am sure they have a number of offices in Europe.
>
> As for the rest of the issues mentioned in the article, I would suggest more training is required both for Arriva's staff and their vehicle repairers. I would also suggest that disabled people in Malta could offer Arriva some Disability Equality training for the going rate of trainers in Malta. It could create further employment opportunities for disabled people in Malta.
>
> Keep it up,
>
> Keith
>
> ________________End of message________________
>
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