SATA News

No 4. June 2010

Newsletter of the Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance

Contents

Editorial

Welcome to the fourth edition of SATA News. If you missed the first three, they are available at the foot of this page. We are now planning to open a news page as well.

So far we have had a busy year with two meetings and a string of consultation documents to consider. Turnout at our meetings has been consistantly strong, about 25 to 30, but it is mostly the same people who attend and it would be nice to see some new faces. We have nearly 80 members now and it is clear that many never come. We do get around the country to make attendance as easy as possible. Our next meeting is in Perth on 16th September (which is also our AGM) and the following one in Edinburgh on 11th November.

As to consultations, we are getting some feedback but would like much more so that we can properly represent the width and strength of views that SATA exists to represent. Please consider joining one of our six sub groups which consider the issues involved and/or canvas views more widely. If you are interested in joining one of these sub groups, please contact our sub group co-ordinator, Douglas Gilroy, by email (dgilroy@talk.talk.net) or phone (tel. 01389 763091). Our responses to the main consultation documents are posted on our website under 'Publications'.

So here we go!

SATA's Meetings

Our 6th May meeting in Glasgow was well attended and featured the policies and activities of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT). The Minutes are now on our website.

Our next meeting will be our AGM on 16th September 2010 starting at 1.30 pm. This will be followed by a Full Meeting at 2.15 pm for members only when the main presentation will be by John Berry. They will both take place at the Blackfriars Development Centre, Perth, courtesy of Perth & Kinross Council. Agenda will be sent out in due course together with our annual report and financial statement.

The date for the meeting after that, which will be open to non-members, is Thursday 11th November 2010 and will be held at the RNIB offices in Edinburgh.

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SATA's Management

Members of the Management Committee are 'Trustees' of the organisation and responsible individually and collectively for pursuing our objectives and for good governance in accordance with our constitution They meet on the mornings of the members' meetings or as needed. In fact there is to be an extra meeting on 24th June when future plans are to be reviewed. Members of the committee, including the Office Bearers, are subject to annual election at the AGM. All paid-up subscribing members are entitled to stand and to vote - you are strongly urged to exercise this right. Please do.

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Scottish Parliament: Cross Party Group on Disability

A meeting of the Cross Party Group on Disability took place on Wednesday 3rd March 2010 and highlighted transport issues, including concessionary fares, the regulation of taxis under the DDA and the Thistle Travel Card. SATA was asked to facilitate the discussion and a number of members attended.

The proceedings are recorded in the Minutes posted on the Scottish Parliament website under Cross Party Groups. Anyone wanting to attend future meetings should contact Marie Redden at Quarriers, Tel 01505 616134 or email Marie.Redden@quarriers.org.uk

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SATA's Manifesto 2010

Our Manifesto was distributed for the recent Westminster elections in May. Sadly we have no evidence that they influenced the Agreement drawn up by the new Coalition Government! The text of the Agreement was nevertheless sent to SATA members for information.

We must now look forward to the 2011 Scottish elections next May and if you would like to see changes in the Manifesto, or can help with other suggestions, please let us know. A copy of the 2010 version is our website under Publications.

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Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act came into law on 8th April and its main provisions will come into force in October. Part 12 deals with transport, covering trains, public service vehicles (eg buses and coaches) and taxis. This consolidates previous legislation but is worth looking at on the website www.equalities.gov.uk

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Consultations and responses

Audit Sotland invited views on its paper Evaluation of National Concessionary Travel in Scotland for Older and Disabled People. SATA sent in a response by the closing date of 15th May and it is with our other consultation responses on our website.

The Department for Transport (DfT) consulted on Improving Bus Passenger Services Through the Regulatory Framework. Although directed at services in England and Wales, there was much of relevance to Scotland and SATA submitted views on 28th May which are also on our website

DfT also consulted on Changes to Laws Governing Powered Mobility Vehicles and our response is on our website

On behalf of Transport Scotland and Passenger Focus, the MVA Consultancy invited people to come for interview on train Rolling Stock Design and a number of SATA members responded.

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Taxi Policy

As we reported in our last SATA News, the Department for Transport issued a consultation in February 2009 entitled Consultation on Improving Access to Taxis with a closing date of 24 April 2009. SATA's response to that consultation is on our website.

A Ministerial statement in October said that there was little support for regulations in respect of what an accessible vehicle should be. The Government was to issue Further Best Practice Guidance to local licensing authorities and three separate demonstration schemes or trials would be run to explore how better to tailor taxi provision to demand to ensure that the needs of disabled people are effectively met. Nothing has yet emerged and now we have a new government. So there will be yet further delays until it decides whether to follow this line or do something different.

Meanwhile SATA has reviewed its own policy and has made some changes in its policy outline statement Affordable and Accessible Taxi and Private Hire Services. This will go on the website and be sent to interested parties. We are aware that progress throughout the country is painfully slow and, even worse, many areas are experiencing cuts in the provision of both vehicles and concessionary 'taxicard' fare schemes. But we still consider it important to set out our aspirations based on what we consider to be best practice.

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Mobility Roadshow Scotland

Mobility Choice is holding its Mobility Roadshow Scotland 2010 at Ingliston, Edinburgh on 17th and 18th September. Further details from the website www.mobilityroadshow.co.uk

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Easy Fundraising

As mentioned in our previous newsletters, a link to easyfundraising.org.uk has been set up on our website and allows to you shop on-line for the benefit of SATA. Some members have already registered and are using the site. Once more we urge others to follow suit.

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What's your news?

We need you to share your news with us or provide a link from our website to where people can access the latest information about developments and events in your area. Please get in touch by post or email.

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Previous Newsletters - January 2010 - October 2009 and July 2009