With the marvellous surroundings of the London Transport Museum as a backdrop, we launched the
London 2012 Accessible Transport Strategy last Thursday night. The event went well and we played host to over 200 guests. They included our transport stakeholders and groups that we had consulted with to develop the strategy.
LOCOG Chief Executive, Paul Deighton and ODA Chairman, John Armitt speak at the event:
'All Change' sets out what we plan to do to help ensure high-quality, accessible public transport options are available for all sections of the community, especially disabled people.
This is a challenge, but we must strive to achieve our goal of hosting an inclusive public transport Games.
While developing the Accessible Transport Strategy, there were many people who gave me their views and ideas on accessible transport. In particular, the disabled people I have met over the last 12 months – many of whom were at the event – made valuable contributions.
I firmly believe that we can use the power of the Games to inspire change – change in the way transport providers view transport and ensure equal access to it for disabled people, and also change in the way disabled people view themselves as passengers on public transport.
A disabled person on the Olympic Delivery Authority’s (ODA) Access & Inclusion Forum made the point to me that disabled people don’t have a mental map of how to use public transport, of how to travel using different modes and interchange between them.
It is our aim to change this, by creating a UK-wide network of accessible transport that anyone who needs accessible travel can use to get to the Games.
Working together, we can develop the network and help empower disabled people to make their own informed choices when travelling, so that they can expect to travel independently to Games events.
In 2012 we will see disabled people competing and involved in the Paralympic Games, but we should also see disabled people involved in all areas of the 2012 Games, including in the volunteer workforce, performing at cultural events and, of course, as spectators.
For this to happen, we must create better travel opportunities for disabled people. Indeed, this is a challenge, but by using the power of the Games to inspire change, I believe we can make it happen.
