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Merger talks remain positive
The latest initiative to forge a merger between DDMC and the DDA are continuing positively with a meeting in September agreeing to press ahead with discussions.
A joint statement was released following the meeting between the two  organisations. It said: “The trustees of the Disabled Drivers’ Motor Club and Disabled Drivers’ Association held a very positive joint meeting on 4th September and agreed, unanimously, that discussions should continue to seek the merger of both organizations, to better serve the interests of disabled people with mobility difficulties.”
Detailed discussions have begun to take place and all DDMC members will, of course, be given the opportunity to express their views at the appropriate time.
 BRUCE JONES and Wendi Peters, who play Les Battersby
and Cilla Brown in the ITV soap Coronation Street, enjoy a
cuppa to launch Motability's “Everything Stops For Tea”
fundraising campaign last month.
Bruce said: “We are delighted to launch Motability's
Tea Party Week and we hope people up and down the
country will enjoy a cuppa, and help transform the lives of
many disabled people.” 
So, who did get it wrong . . . DN or Scope?
CONCERNS about the continuing editorial
independence of the campaigning
newspaper Disability Now (DN), have
been raised by an article from Scope
chief executive, Tony Manwaring.
In the September issue he states that
Scope, DN's publishers, “got it wrong”
by allowing a postcard insert from an
independent campaign supporting assisted
dying to be included with the July
magazine.
Manwaring feels that the decision to
carry the postcard “is part of a broader
set of issues about the purpose of DN
and its relationship with Scope” and that
the key issue is “how best to develop an
editorial policy for DN which reflects
Scope's drive for equality.”
Disability rights campaigner Dr
Tom Shakespeare disagrees, arguing:
“Assisted suicide is a complex issue, and
there are a range of views in the disability
community.” He believes that “DN
has always reported the debate fairly,
and it was not inappropriate to include a
card from a separate campaigning group
who support the right to assisted suicide:
if campaigners against assisted suicide
have publicity, DN should include that
too. DN should be seen as an independent
campaigning newspaper for the
disability community, not the publicity
wing of Scope”
Shakespeare argues that he “wants to
read, and write for, an independent disability
newspaper which tells me things
I don't know, challenges my prejudices,
and makes me think.”
An end to discrimination?
NEW EQUAL access laws that have
come into force this month will have as
dramatic an effect on opening up business
and services to disabled people in
the UK as similar laws have had in the
United States, according to the Disability
Rights Commission (DRC).
Catherine Casserley, Senior
Legislative Advisor for the DRC, also
predicted a future in Britain of increased
assertiveness amongst disabled people
no longer willing to tolerate a second
class service.
In the run up to the October 1st deadline
the DRC invested heavily in projects
aimed at making sure disabled people
knew about and asserted their new
rights. Increasing the capacity of disabled
people and organisations to monitor
progress and complain is also a key aim.
Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination
Act (DDA) requires every business from
the local shop to restaurants, health
clubs, dentists and supermarkets, to
become more user-friendly to Britain's
10 million disabled people. Businesses
will need to make reasonable changes – such as adapting premises, removing
physical barriers or providing the service
another way – so that disabled people
can use the service.
Ms Casserley drew a strong comparison
between the DDA and the Americans
With Disabilities Act (ADA). Provisions
relating to removing physical barriers
to services in the US mirror the duties
now in effect in Britain. Ten years after
the introduction of the ADA, the United
States has made major advances in making
businesses more user friendly for
disabled people.
“What is clear from the high levels
of positive acceptance for the changes
in the US is the role that an aware and
active disability community has played
in producing an exemplary environment
for disabled people,” said Ms Casserley.
Commenting on the business case
for making improvements to disabled
access, she said: “UK businesses will
lose out on the spending power of
disabled people if they fail to make the
improvements needed to ensure access.
“But it's not just disabled people
whose custom they will lose – a national
poll commissioned by the DRC revealed
that when confronted with poor access
seven in every 10 people would advise
family or friends to use another service.
Bad access really is bad for business.”
Ms Casserley provided a stark warning
to businesses and service providers
that had made little or no efforts to
implement improvements: “Increased
awareness and activism amongst disabled
people after October 1st is a given.
In this new setting there will be nowhere
to run and nowhere to hide for businesses
that have not made or planned
improvements.
“Over the last year the DRC has been
monitoring the progress of well-known
service providers and we will be looking
to test the law at the earliest opportunity
to achieve the maximum effect.”
Act ‘irrelevant’ to small firms
MORE THAN half of all small business
owners (52 per cent) consider the
Disability Discrimination Act to be
largely irrelevant, according to new
research. Even more revealing is the
fact that this rises to 60 per cent among
firms already subject to the legislation.
The report, sponsored by Lloyds
TSB Business and prepared by the
Small Enterprise Research Team at the
Open University, shows that only four
per cent of firms surveyed think that
the DDA has had a positive impact.
Furthermore, at a time of concern over
a rising tide of red tape, one in five (18
per cent) think it is expensive or troublesome
to implement, while a further
15 per cent say it creates another layer
of administration.
The extension of the Act to include
firms employing fewer than 20 is also
causing concern among small businesses.
More than half (55 per cent) agree
the extension is ethical, but claim it
puts too much of a burden on business.
Sixteen per cent believe the extension
to be unnecessary, while one in ten (11
per cent) think it is an empty gesture
that will be impossible to monitor. The
last two views are most widely held by
those in the 55-64 age group with 40
per cent citing them, compared with
only 10 per cent of those aged 35 - 44.
Gowrings rental initiative
GOWRINGS MOBILITY have teamed up with car rental firm Dollar
Thrifty to offer wheelchair users and their drivers wheelchair-accessible
vehicles to rent.
Four specially adapted Renault Kangoo vehicles will be hired out
to the growing number of people wishing to transport wheelchair
users. The Renault-approved conversion incorporates a lowered floor,
a short, lightweight ramp and four-point wheelchair securing system.
Wheelchair users can enter via the ramp at the rear and remain safely
and comfortably in their own chair whilst travelling.
The vehicles will be available to rent in the Reading and High
Wycombe areas, and if the scheme is successful it will be extended to
all Dollar Thrifty's branches across the country.
To hire a wheelchair passenger vehicle, please contact Reading
01189 511123 thrifty.reading@thrifty.co.uk; or High Wycombe 01494
463346 thrifty.highwycombe@thrifty.co.uk.
Bikers call for clean-up
A CHORUS of revs from more than 750
motorbikes sent a loud message to the
Government of the need to act to slam
the brakes on the dangers of diesel spills
on Britain's roads.
The bikers from across the country
descended on Downing Street to deliver
a seven-point plan and 10,146-signature
petition to Number 10.
The rally was organised by the
KillSpills pressure group as part of a
campaign to make diesel spillages as
socially unacceptable as drink driving
and is believed to be the biggest such
bike rally London has ever seen.
Campaign Leader Stephen Edwards,
said “A motorcyclist is almost twice as
likely to be involved in a serious or fatal
accident as a result of diesel on the road
compared to ice.”
He said: “The rally was awesome.
It took 11 months to organise but the
scale and success of the event was worth
the wait. The sight of more than 750
motorbikes, engines revving and horns
sounding, wending their way through
Westminster will be difficult to forget.
“We wouldn't have attracted that level
of support if people didn't believe we
can make a difference. This demonstration
was a tangible way to highlight the
hazards diesel spills cause. We must now
maintain the momentum by lobbying
the Government and petroleum
companies further as well as
educating people at the petrol
pumps.”
The bikers have already
won the support of Lembit
Opik MP, Chair of an All
Party Parliamentary Group
for Motorcycling; Virgin boss
Richard Branson; London
Mayor Ken Livingstone and
four times World Superbike
Champion Carl Fogarty – and
earned a pat on the back from
the police on the day.
For more information on the
KillSpills campaign see:
www.KillSpills.org.uk
From small beginnings:
walking for charity
Philip Wood, DDMC Area Representative for
Northamptonshire West, is inspired by the
efforts of three local people.
THERE is a passion shared by a small group of people whose
aim in life is to give back to society what has been given by
the ambulance service, hospitals and the fire brigade.
I recently met with the three stalwarts of the organization
“Winnie-Fred Walkers” – Angie, Anne and Stephen.
Stephen is a recent recruit, but Angie and Anne have been
walking for charity now for some three years. In that time
they have raised around £1,500 for good causes, including a
hospice in Corby, the Firemen's Benevolent Fund and most
recently for the Air Ambulance Service.
Angie's interest in fundraising dates back to 1997 when
she was attracted by an appeal on the local radio for Kids
2000. She has never looked back. Winnie-Fred Walkers was
formed in memory of Angie's aunt and uncle who both died
from cancer in 2001. Anne teamed up with Angie when she
responded to an advert in the local school patrol office for
a co-walker to raise money for the Lakelands Hospice in
Corby. In the background, but an essential member of the
team, is Angie's husband Colin. He's the one who organizes
the routes, checks out the safety aspects and does all the driving.
Future events are already being planned; this month there
will be a walk around Pitsford Reservoir in Northamptonshire
to raise money for breast cancer awareness. Plans are in
place to conquer the three peaks, Snowden, Scafell and Ben
Nevis in 2005, and in 2008 to walk from Great Yarmouth to
Blackpool; both to raise funds for cancer research.
Volunteers and sponsors are sought for all these events,
and future fund raising ideas are always welcome. Up to now
the focus has been on raising money for Cancer Research,
the Ambulance and the Fire Service. However, Winnie-Fred
Walkers are open to other suggestions and are willing to try
their hand (or feet) at anything providing it is legal and safe!
Their motto is: “We challenge you to challenge us - Do it.”
If you have any ideas, or are interested in becoming a volunteer
or a sponsor then contact Angie on 07979 474175.
Blue bay blues at Tesco
BAYWATCH supporter Ken Jeffrey has
hit out at the failure of his local Tesco
store to do anything in response to his
constant complaints about bay abuse.
Ken, a wheelchair user, has written
to Tesco Customer Services at least six
times in the past 12 months about problems
that he experiences at the Rainham
store, and has even involved his local
newspaper, but he says he is still waiting
for action.
Ken argues: “I can't use a normal
space. I can't get out of my car if I can't
open my door wide. I've tried parking
out of the way where there are free spaces
to the side of me but if someone parks
next to me I can't get back into my car.”
He has detailed a catalogue of abuse
and intimidation by able-bodied drivers
including incidents where 70 per cent
of disabled bays were occupied by non
Badge holders. He has begged the store
to monitor and prevent abuse and says
that in spite of promises to deal with the
issue the local store management has
failed to respond.
“On 30th July I met a reporter for the
Romford Recorder outside the Rainham
store. The duty manager took my details
and assured me he would get someone to
reply. In spite of the fact that the paper
ran a centre page spread on the story
entitled Cheating the Disabled I have
still heard nothing.”
Tesco Customer Services nationally
have responded to Ken's letters by stating,
in a standard format, that they value
his complaint but, “Regrettably, we have
not yet been able to devise a system
that completely eliminates this problem.
However, I can assure you that we are
actively seeking a viable solution.
“In our new stores we have placed
signs between each disabled parking
space and we have also painted, in yellow,
the recognised “access for the disabled”
symbol on the car park surface.
Some of our stores also place tickets on
offending vehicles, asking customers to
move their cars.”
The Baywatch Campaign has recently
submitted its research report to the
DfT. The recommendations, which have
been made available to all Baywatch
partners, including Tesco, detail a range
of actions that can be taken to prevent
abuse.
Common sense . . . and nonsense
ED PASSANT continues his look at
disabled motoring worldwide...
Encouraging news from countries that
you might not have expected to be in the
forefront of developments on mobility
issues this month:
In Uganda, disabled people are among
organisations and individuals that have
been granted exemptions from import
duties and value added tax. The clause,
contained in the Finance Bill 2004,
exempts disabled people from paying
taxes on motor vehicles and equipment
specially designed for the use of disabled
drivers. It also exempts materials
designed for educational, scientific or
cultural advancement of the disabled to
be used by an organisation approved by
the government.”
From the Monitor (Kampala).
In China, Beijing, a city that has
622,000 registered disabled citizens
among its 14 million population, is introducing
a range of access improvements
as a result of new laws that came into
effect in May.
The Beijing Traffic Management
Authority has announced the creation of
64 disabled parking bays for the exclusive
use of disabled motorists. Parking
fees will still have to be paid but the new
bays will be located in front of destinations
such as hospitals, hotels, shopping
centres and busy streets to allow better
access for people with mobility problems.
Fines of between 50 and 200 yuan
(£3.50 and £13.50) will be levied on
anyone abusing the bays.
Also in Beijing, 20 accessible buses
that have ramps instead of steps are
being introduced to add to the 5 currently
being trialed. The capital's metro
stations are expected to complete a 10
million yuan (£673,000) project to install
barrier-free access and facilities for disabled
passengers by the end of next year.
Work began earlier this month to install
easy-access toilets with lower basins,
special paths for visually impaired people
and special-access escalators at 30
subway stations along the No 1 and No 2
metro lines.
From the China Daily
Meanwhile at home, Edinburgh traffic
wardens displayed a chronic lack
of common sense when enforcing Blue
Badge parking…
Linda Mitchell had to remove her
Blue Badge to apply for a new permit
and thought she was taking every precaution
by leaving a photocopy of her
badge and a note explaining that she was
inside the council offices in Waterloo
Place renewing it. She was greeted by a £60 fine, issued only minutes after she
had left the car, on her return.
Ms Mitchell said: “Disabled drivers
don't pay road tax so my road tax badge
had a zero on it next to the cost. A traffic
warden could have checked that if he
thought the photocopy was not genuine.”
But a spokeswoman for Central
Parking System, the firm contracted by
the council to enforce parking restrictions,
defended the decision to fine Ms
Mitchell. She said: “A penalty charge
notice was issued because the disabled
badge was not displayed. The badge
had been removed and replaced with a
photocopy, which is inappropriate. It is
imperative to closely monitor the use of
disabled badges to help combat fraud
and protect badge holders. Instructions
are clearly stated on every parking ticket
advising the public any queries should
be made in writing to the council.”
Central Parking Systems do not say
what you should do when renewing your
badge.
Hotel awards reveal high
standards of accessibility
AS THE De Vere Daresbury Park, Warrington, Cheshire, is
named AA Accessible Hotel of the Year 2004-2005, an AA survey
of its rated establishments reveals a 10 per cent increase
in those who provide disability awareness training, and a 14
per cent increase in those that provide written guidelines for
disabled guests.
The AA Accessible Hotel of the Year award highlights the
importance of ensuring equal access for disabled travellers to
hotels and B&Bs as part three of the Disability Discrimination
Act is introduced.
Peter Birnie, AA chief hotel inspector, says: “When we first
started these awards four years ago we found some establishments
had made their properties accessible but hadn't looked
at the 'soft' skills needed. This has changed over the years and
our data now shows that establishments have understood the
importance of physical access as well complementing it with
staff training. Simple staff awareness of disabled guests' needs
can make all the difference to someone's stay.”
De Vere Daresbury Park was chosen after a series of tough
tests, including an assessment of accessible facilities by AA
inspectors who use an 80-point checklist, an anonymous telephone
survey, a questionnaire and overnight visits from an
undercover judge.
Each year an undercover judge with a different
disability makes
a final assessment from
a shortlist. This year's
judge, Rebecca Tadman,
who is deaf, said: “The
employees were proactive,
anticipating my needs and making me feel comfortable
throughout my stay. They made me feel like any other guest.”
De Vere Daresbury Park was chosen for its special attention
to facilities for the disabled traveller, such as friendly
deaf-aware staff, explanation of emergency and evacuation
procedures including the offer of a vibrating pillow, dedicated
disabled parking, lifts, large accessible rooms and an internet
phone in reception.
The hotel receives a cheque for £1,000 to be used for further
improvements for disabled guests.
Looking for mystery shoppers
THE GRASS Roots Group is looking
for disabled people interested in joining
their panel of mystery shoppers.
This involves pretending to be an
ordinary customer and showing interest
in goods or services at a particular outlet.
For instance, you could be asked to
visit a local supermarket or telephone a
bank asking a few simple questions.
Grass Roots is commissioned to
check the accessibility of services
for disabled customers and how such
customers are treated in general. The
information is then reported back in
confidence to the company concerned,
enabling them to improve their services
if necessary.
Disabled mystery shoppers can be
paid between £10 and £12 for a personal
visit, along with travel and food expenses
if visiting a restaurant, and £4-£7 for
contacting companies via telephone,
textphone or typetalk.
Disabled mystery shopping is
billed as “fun, interesting and valuable – it helps companies provide adequate
access and even-handed treatment. And
with over eight million disabled people
in the UK, your view counts.”
For more details, contact: James
Ewart, The Grass Roots Group, Bellis
House, Icknield Industrial Estate, Tring,
Herts, HP23 4BR
email: james_ewart@grg.co.uk.
Phone: 01442 829278
Textphone: 01442 829335
‘Check before you
spend’ warning
DISABLED CONSUMERS are wasting
millions of pounds each year on disability
aids available free of charge.
During National Consumer Week
(October 18 - 22), RNID, the largest
charity representing deaf and hard of
hearing people in the UK, is alerting
consumers that technology such as
flashing doorbells, phone amplifiers and
visual smoke alarms is often available at
no cost.
RNID is also advising consumers to
contact Social Services or a major disability
charity before buying disability
aids which may also be inappropriate for
them.
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