Transport for LondonAccessible transport services
Skip to navigationFor disabled people in London unable to travel via mainstream public transport, TfL provides a range of subsidised door-to-door transport.
Demand for these services is growing with Dial-a-Ride trips having increased by over 55,000 in the last year. In 2003/04, Dial-a-Ride provided nearly 1.3 million trips for disabled Londoners, a 4.3 per cent increase on the previous year.
In order to better meet the needs of Dial-a-Ride passengers, we are gradually phasing in smaller, people carrier vehicles which will be a more efficient way of carrying out individual journeys, whilst still retaining the ability to cater for multiple occupancy.
A pilot scheme will also be introduced in the coming year offering travel assistance to help and encourage disabled people to use accessible mainstream transport, where this is an appropriate option. Dial-a-Ride would then provide a door-to-door link at either end of the journey.
Since November 2001, TfL has been funding the Taxicard scheme, which has resulted in over £6 million of funds being spent on additional door-to-door trips for disabled people.
Overall, there has been a 70 per cent increase in the number of disabled people who have taken advantage of the Taxicard scheme since 2001/02, with more than 900,000 people using the scheme last year.
In the last year, we have helped to expand the door-to-door transport service by providing funding to allow the boroughs of Greenwich, Redbridge and Barnet to introduce Taxicard schemes and we are supporting the introduction of a "Capital Call" scheme in nine outer London boroughs. The scheme uses licensed minicabs rather than traditional black cabs and provides Taxicard members with an additional £200 budget to spend on travel. So far over 3,000 extra trips have been taken using the scheme.
All taxis are wheelchair accessible, and private hire vehicles as well as taxis are now obliged to carry assistance dogs.
We are also undertaking a strategic review of door-to-door transport in London which is due to report later in 2004.
London Buses has done much to improve the accessibility of its network. More than 90 per cent of buses are already low-floor and wheelchair accessible, offering step free access for those with mobility problems, and we are working towards making the bus network 100 per cent accessible by December 2005.
We invest over £3 million per annum in improving the highway infrastructure at bus stops to make it more accessible and convenient for the mobility impaired, which includes the installation of accessible bus stops, dropped kerbs and tactile paving.
Over £3 million a year is also invested in a BTEC training course for bus drivers, conductors and service controllers to ensure customers receive a better service. The course addresses areas such as good driving practice and health and safety and provides skills for working with disabled people and other groups who face transport barriers.
TfL is spending £1.3 million on the refurbishment of Greenwich pier, which by autumn 2004 will include a ramp rider, thereby greatly improving access for wheelchair users at Greenwich. Most of the newer river craft have dedicated wheelchair spaces and step-free access to and from boats is now available at most piers.
As part of its contribution to the 2003 European Year of Disabled People, TfL sponsored "The Journey", a socially integrated forum theatre project based in Newham. In collaboration with BBC London, TfL also sponsored the production of The Rough Guide to Accessing London.
Launched in December 2003, the guide lists over 50 London venues and places of interest that are accessible to disabled visitors.
In addition to the "Safer Travel at Night" campaign, TfL has continued to make steps to improve safety for women travelling at night. We launched the Women's Action plan to demonstrate our commitment to expanding women's travel choices and have installed CCTV cameras on 65 per cent of the bus fleet so far. We are also working hard to reduce the number of illegal minicabs.
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