Lazarowicz supports accessible transport plan

‘disabled people must have a say in how the service is designed’ – Mark Lazarowicz MP

Mark Lazarowicz MP has responded enthusiastically to a report by the Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance (SATA) on the way ahead to make transport more accessible for disabled people.

The Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance (SATA’s) Accessible Transport Strategy and Action Plan for Scotland is the first and most comprehensive such strategy and plan for Scotland. It covers the period 2015 to 2020 and includes all transport modes and services, the transport environment, information provision and staff training. It addresses the need to consult and involve disabled people at all levels and all stages in reviewing what is lacking and what should be done (see link to full document, below).

It’s an issue the North and Leith MP has campaigned actively on, and he said: “I warmly welcome this report which aims to make transport accessible for everyone: accessible transport must be at the heart of any new public transport development and disabled people must have a real say in how it is designed.

“Accessible transport benefits everyone: tackling problem parking which forces people out into the street to get by, audio-visual announcements on buses, access at Waverley station are all issues I have campaigned on which especially affect disabled people, but not just them.

“Making transport more accessible for disabled people is a key way to enable them to lead more independent lives but it can improve everyone else’s quality of life too.”

Mark Lazarowicz campaigned strongly against the current UK Government’s decision to axe its own advisory body on accessible transport and it was forced into a u-turn.

Last summer he introduced a Bill to devolve the power to tackle irresponsible parking, working closely with the voluntary organisations, Guide Dogs and Living Streets. It forced the Government to consult with all the interested parties and make a commitment to make the change by Executive Order.

He has also highlighted that more work needs to be done to make Waverley station properly accessible for disabled people after its closure to vehicles but there is also a problem for pedestrians and cyclists as well who have to share the pedestrian footway from Waverley Bridge.

Accessible Transport Strategy Action Plan Scotland

Five broad principles are adopted in SATA’s strategy:

Working in partnership with public, private, community and statutory transport providers to improve transport services, making them easier to use and understand so that people’s confidence about using them is increased;
Being proactive in our efforts to identify and remove barriers that prevent people with disabilities accessing the transport system and to ensure that further barriers are not created;
Implementing best practice by making sure that we keep up-to-date with best practice and reflect this when developing policies and implementation plans;
Good consultation, working openly and in partnership with people who provide transport services and facilities and those who use them. Strive to maintain good communication with people with disabilities to listen to their views and exchange information;
Value for money in targeting available resources towards initiatives that are affordable, sustainable and that maximise the benefits for people with disabilities.

The Plan sets out seven strategic objectives:

Ensure that disabled people have an effective say in the planning, design and operation of transport services, facilities and operations.
Ensure that the Equality Act requirements are met and affordable adjustments are made so that accessibility for disabled people is a condition of public money being spent on all new public transport investment;
Develop an integrated and fully accessible public transport system in partnership with key stakeholders which will enable disabled people to travel in safety and in comfort and be able to move easily between modes;
Enable disabled people to travel using cars and other means of private transport;
Address a lack of awareness and understanding that prevents or discourages disabled people from using transport services and facilities that are available to them;
Ensure that information in a range of formats is available for all public transport services to enable disabled people to plan and make these journeys easily; and
Provide help with travel costs and offer practical assistance to enable disabled people to use the transport services available to them.

Consultation on the strategy and plan closed on Friday (16 January).

You can find the North & Leith MP’s formal response here

Citizens Advice Scotland calls for halt to benefit changes

Citizens Advice Scotland’s Chief Executive Margaret Lynch has written to the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Work and Pensions calling for a halt to the introduction of the new Personal Independence Payments (PIP) to claimants in Scotland, as PIP is a benefit that will be devolved to the Scottish Government.

Speaking days before the draft legislation based on Smith Commission is due to be published, Margaret Lynch said: “PIP is the replacement benefit for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and is an area that will be devolved to the Scottish Government following the Smith Commission recommendations. However it will take to October 2017 to be fully rolled out to all DLA claimants – and that is if there are no further delays to its introduction.

“As we know that the Scottish Government will be developing and introducing its own PIP equivalent, we don’t want to see disabled claimants having to go through changes in their payments, how they are paid, and how much they are paid, twice in a short period of time. I think this will be of major detriment to claimants and is unnecessary and possibly very distressing. In addition it seems a waste of resources to pay for the assessments of tens of thousands of disabled people to transfer them onto a system that they will not be staying on.

“Therefore I’m calling on the DWP to halt the migration of all existing DLA claimants to PIP and I hope this will be backed by the Scotland Office and the Scottish Government.

“CAS has already detailed the massive delays that new claimants are seeing in getting a PIP assessment and then having a decision made. Whilst these delays continue, sick and disabled clients are facing severe hardship, unable to meet the costs of living, and getting into debt.

“The DWP should concentrate on getting the process right for these new claimants and let current DLA claimants stay on their current award until such times as new Scottish system is in place.

“I had very much hoped that issues like these, and the halt to Universal Credit that has also been called for, could be raised and discussed with relevant stakeholders before draft legislation is published but it has been a disappointing process. The very short time scales we have been hampered by has led to a short sightedness of being able to look at all the complex and inter-related issues that need discussed and debated.

“This is not the first time I’ve pointed to process and timescales hampering the need for full and frank discussion and debate. This has to be taken seriously. All parties and stakeholders must have time and forums to bring out issues such as these and look for a way forward. The migration of DLA claimants to PIP is just one example of an area we would like to influence on behalf of the 330,000 clients we deal with every year.

“Whilst I recognise that the Scotland Office has tried to bring people together, it’s clear that we need to have all UK government departments playing their part in the processes that are required following the Smith Commission.”

However the Department for Work and Pensions says a delay in implementing PIP north of the border would ‘disadvantage’ disabled people in Scotland.

A DWP spokesman said: “Under the Personal Independence Payment, claimants receive a face-to-face assessment and regular reviews to ensure support is directed according to need.

“Latest figures show just that, with over 22% of people getting the highest level of support under PIP, compared to 16% under the outgoing DLA system. To halt this progress now would be to disadvantage disabled people across Scotland.”

No Boundaries for Royston Wardieburn group

No Boundaries is a support group for people who have a disability or long-term condition and want to get out and about in their community to meet people, socialise and give & receive peer support.

The group members previously attended Craighall Day Centre but had to move on when criteria for places at day centres were changed – founder member and former Chairperson of the Craighall Day Centre’s Welfare Committee Rudy Bleau received the letter informing him of the changes on Christmas Eve last year.

Fellow member Brian also recalls hearing the news: “It was a shock, really. It meant a big change for us and there was nothing else at the time. There was a real danger that some vulnerable people would become even more isolated”.

Undaunted, the group established a new base at Royston Wardieburn and over recent months they have been working to become a ‘formal’ organisation with a constitution, mission statement, office bearers and the like. While the group is becoming ‘formalised’, however, members are keen to assure potential new recruits that the group is anything but formal!

Chairman Rudy Bleau explained: “Becoming a properly-constituted group opens more doors for us so we decided to go down that route. The paperwork takes a lot of time though and we’d like to thank EVOC, Susan Dalgliesh from the City of Edinburgh Council’s Local Area Co-ordination Team and Kirsty at Grapevine for supporting us through the process. We have charitable status now and that’s thanks to their help.”

He continued: “We’ve had to spend an awful lot of time over the last few months talking about our plans for the organisation but now we’re in the exciting position of being able to actually DO more things. The prime purpose of the No Boundaries Group is to reduce the sense of isolation that people experience and improve their mental health & wellbeing. This essentially is about building a healthier community in North Edinburgh, a place where people feel actively part of society – and have a life.”

He added: “We are an inclusive group, welcoming people aged 16 years and over – if people need any additional support they can bring a carer or personal assistant along to help them participate as fully as possible.”

The group meets twice a week at Royston Wardieburn Communiyt Centre – on Monday and Tuesday from 10am – 12noon. What happens at ‘No Boundaries’ sessions depends on what the members want.

“We meet up together to socialise and discuss topics of interest and take part in a range of activities. On Thursdays we go on outings”, said Brian. Among the places visited by the No Boundaries group are Maxi’s Stockbridge, the Botanic Gardens, North Edinburgh Arts Centre, Morrison’s Ferry Road, Eric Liddell Centre, Craighall Centre, Out Of The Blue, Café Camino, Newkirkgate Community Centre, No.1 Nicholson Square, National Art Gallery, Costa St James Centre, Drumbrae Library, Punjabi Junction and Lauriston Farm – that’s a lot of coffee!

“We hope to put reviews on Euan’s guide to help others get out and about too to accessible places. We are planning to have speakers in from a range of a projects like the Living It Up Project. The group is a place to get information and guidance too.

“There is a diverse programme and everything we do is agreed by the group collectively. We’d really welcome more members and it would be great to see more people getting involved in our activities”, Brian went on. “We’re open to new ideas and we can structure our programme to fit. We’ve got a lot to look forward to”.

For more information about the No Boundaries group contact rudy.bleau@gmail.com

Blue badge Bill gets green light

New laws to clamp down on drivers who abuse disabled parking have been passed by the Scottish Parliament. The legislation aims to deal with drivers said to be misusing blue badges by giving councils powers to seize and cancel them.

Similar legislation was introduced in England last year, where the Department for Transport cracked down on a what is becoming a lucrative black market in the parking permits – with free on-street parking almost impossible to find and parking fees high, the permits are becoming increasingly valuable and a blue badge could be worth over £1,000 on the black market.

According to the latest official statistics as many as a fifth of the 2.62 million badges in circulation across the UK could be being misused.

Holyrood’s Disabled Persons’ Parking Badges Bill was brought forward by SNP MSP Dennis Robertson, who said abuse of the system was a growing problem and had become “unacceptable”.

There are 245,000 legitimate blue badge holders in Scotland, and Holyrood’s local government committee said misuse of the blue badge scheme was having a major impact on the lives of people who rely on disabled parking spaces.

Research by agency Transport Scotland said 83% of legitimate badge holders had encountered misuse.

One Craigleith blue badge holder, who asked not to be named, welcomed the news. “You see it all the time. Drivers who pretend to be disabled to get free parking are a nightmare because they prevent genuine blue badge holders from using parking bays that are there especially to make things like shopping easier and more accessible.

“Some of those who abuse the system are quite brazen about it and I’ve lost count of the number of inconsiderate drivers I’ve seen who will use a disabled persons parking space in a supermarket car park just to be nearer the shop!

“It’s infuriating – there are a lot of selfish and thoughtless drivers out there and I’m sure genuine blue badge holders will be happy to hear that something is going to be done about it.”

Misuse of a blue badge is already an offence, but enforcement powers currently lie with the police. The new legislation will come into force next year.

A week on Ward 72: new exhibition at Western General

LOCAL arts and disability organisation, Artlink, is pleased to present an exhibition of drawings by Mark Kirkham – ‘The Edinburgh Sketcher’- documenting his observations as an artist-in-residence at the Royal Victoria Building at the Western General on Ward 72. The exhibition also shows Mark’s perspective – as a parent – of time spent in Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

Mark is an Edinburgh-based illustrator who produces an almost daily sketch blog of life in and around Scotland’s beautiful capital; an online sketchbook of scribbles and observations of daily life.

Impressed with his work, Artlink invited Mark in to become an artist in residence in the care of the elderly wards, documenting situations and stories from patients and staff on the ward. These observational drawings begin to explore how we communicate different healthcare experiences and contribute to a growing body of work which explores the positive relationship between the arts and healthcare in supporting recovery.

Mark said: “I would like to thank all the staff and patients for making me feel so welcome during my week on Ward 72. I drifted in and out, sketched from the corners of the room and tried to stay out of the way of the busy staff’. In the patients rooms it was a different experience, I was in their personal space and was welcomed in and given time and an insight into their lives. Through our chats and my drawing we connected and shared our individual stories and discussed what brings people into hospital.”

Over many years Artlink has worked with patients and staff to encourage their involvement in cultural and arts activity throughout NHS Lothian. We realise that this work not only creates positive involvement, we also know that it supports better communication and contributes positively to recovery. We are delighted with the response to Mark’s drawings so far.

Kirsten Smith, senior charge nurse, said: “It was great having Mark on the wards it was a positive experience for staff and patients. The patients were happy to talk about something else other than their illness and other routine matters for a while. Mark through his sketches has captured the person not the patient, you really see a person that is valued and respected and their story.”

A patient from North Berwick added: “I really enjoyed meeting Mark he came across as a very intelligent and interesting young man who obviously loves to draw. I liked his drawings and the amount of detail he has put, he’s captured North Berwick beautifully although he’s aged me by one year as i’m 90 not 91 but I am in my 91st year so I will let him off. I’ve showed it to some friends and they really like it too. I ended up being in hospital for three months and it was lovely to chat to Mark about other things and for someone from outside to come in to the ward.”

“I’m pretty sure we both benefited, I know how long days can be when in hospital and to have a friendly visit, which some of these patients aren’t lucky enough to have daily, it can be a great lift emotionally – which hopefully leads to a lift physically too,” said Mark.

The other part of the exhibition features Mark’s observations at the Sick Kids Hospital.

In 2011, Mark’s wife gave birth to twins, James and Zoe. James has Haemophilia A and consequently the family have had several visits to Edinburgh’s Sick Children’s Hospital. Whilst there, Mark continued to draw and most of the sketches shown here were made during the time James was in hospital. For Mark, drawing was a welcome distraction from all the things he was powerless to help with, and they have become a visual diary of a most terrifying, depressing and uplifting and amazing time in their lives, something that is being replayed many times over in a hospital ward right now.

We all have different ways in which we document our experiences. Some of us – like Mark – will draw, others write, and many of us will take pictures and now more often than not we will share these on Facebook or Twitter. In essence the arts are a tool of communication, both in terms of what we can make sense of and what we can’t. The arts can give us a new perspective on our experiences and provide new opportunities for understanding. Over many years Artlink have worked with patients and staff to encourage their involvement in cultural and arts activity throughout NHS Lothian. We realise that this work not only creates positive involvement, we also know that it supports better communication and contributes positively to recovery.

‘The twins were born on 9th March 2011 at just past 10pm at the Simpsons Memorial ward at Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary. James arrived first weighing 4lb 15.5oz with his sister Zoe (5lb 5oz) following close behind”, said Mark. “We discovered James had Haemophilia A early, thankfully, when a routine heel prick on the maternity ward failed to stop bleeding. A genetic disorder which impairs the body’s ability to control blood clotting, Haemophilia A can cause even minor injuries to result in a severe bleed, either externally or internally. Such a bleed can last much longer and frequently require medication to stop.”

The Edinburgh Sketcher exhibition can be viewed from 1 August –November 2014 at

The Western General Gallery

Link Corridor between Alexander Donald building and Anne Ferguson Building

Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South.

You can see more examples of Mark’s work at www.edinburghsketcher.com

Arts and disability organisation Artlink celebrate their thirtieth anniversary this year. For more information about Artlink visit www.artlinkedinburgh.co.uk

A sporting chance for disabled people?

Sport brings about ‘transformation’ in attitudes to disabled people?

Nearly 70% of the British public feel attitudes towards disabled people have improved since the London Paralympic Games in 2012, according to new statistics published by the government. But while public opinion may be changing, disability campaigners say the government itself must do more to support disabled people – in sport and in work opportunities.

The findings from the DWP survey are from one of the most detailed surveys of its kind and marks the second anniversary of the Paralympic Games in London.

It also comes as we approach the first anniversary of the ‘Disability Confident’ campaign – designed to break down barriers in employing disabled people. Disability Confident was launched by the Prime Minister David Cameron and has showcased the talents of disabled people across the country.

Minister of State for Disabled People Mike Penning said: “London 2012 helped lead to a transformation in the representation of, and attitudes towards, disabled people in Britain. It challenged mind-sets and left a positive lasting legacy. But more still needs to be done to challenge perceptions.

“Twelve million people in Britain have a disability – that’s 1 in 5 of us. Disabled people have the same aspirations as everyone else, particularly in the workplace. That is why we have travelled round the country over the past year with the likes of Sophie Christiansen and Simon Weston to speak to big business about employing more disabled people”.

The employment rate for disabled people has increased gradually over the years to 45%. The government kick-started a 2 year advertising campaign to support businesses to become more confident at recruiting disabled people, as more disabled jobseekers cite employers’ attitudes as a barrier to work than transport.

The government says changes in attitudes are already leading to positive developments for disabled people across the country:

Disabled people are moving into work or training at the rate of 100 placements every working day.
315,000 more disabled people are playing sport regularly now than in 2005.
Professional football clubs are moving to make improvements to the accessibility of their stadiums, after the government called for urgent action and after the Olympic Park showed what was possible.
BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and BSKYB have pledged to increase the number of disabled people in the broadcasting industry.
Over 8,100 rail carriages now comply with modern accessibility standards and over £500m will have been spent on upgrading railway stations to become more accessible by 2019.
London’s 8,500 buses are now fully low-floor accessible and all of London’s 22,000 black cabs have wheelchair ramps.
66 tube stations are now step-free and TFL plan to make a further 28 London Underground and Overground stations step-free over the next decade.
Professional institutions in the built environment for architects, town planners, surveyors, facilities management and engineers have committed to making their professionals proficient in inclusive design.

Paralympic triple-gold medallist Sophie Christiansen: said: “London 2012 not only inspired a generation, it challenged the ideas of a generation about what disabled people were capable of. Just because we might be a bit different does not mean we should be looked at any differently. We all have unique talents and deserve the opportunity to fulfil our true potential.”

Next month’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will feature more disabled athletes than ever in the competition’s history, with 50 from Britain’s home nations alone. They will compete in 20 events covering the five core Para-Sports: athletics, lawn bowls, powerlifting, swimming and cycling.

Capability Scotland and Independent Living in Scotland (ILiS) have been running The Solution Series, pop up think tanks that bring people together to seek solutions to specific barriers to independent living. One of the topics recently discussed was disabled people’s equal participation in sport.

With Wimbledon producing a British champion in the wheelchair doubles, the World Cup reaching it’s climax and the Commonwealth Games just around the corner, sport is on everyone’s minds. Disabled people’s participation in sport has received more press in recent years – the London 2012 Paralympics being the largest to date – but there is still a long way to go to ensure that disabled people equally participate in sport, according to charity Capability Scotland.

An inclusive approach to sport is key to help ensure disabled people can fully participate in society. The most recent think tank by ILiS discussed participation of disabled people in sport, and ways in which to encourage this, with five key solutions identified .

The benefits of exercise and physical activity are wide ranging, yet disabled people are often excluded from sporting activities. The latest Scottish Health Survey found that significantly less disabled people reached recommended levels of physical activity,

Eric Mitchell, Policy Projects Manager at Capability Scotland, who contributed to the think tank, said “Capability Scotland is committed to encouraging disabled people to participate in sports. Solutions that came out of the most recent think tank are an important step forward in disabled people’s full participation in society. Recent activities that have been going on across our services highlight our commitment to disabled people’s equal participation in sport.”

“As part of Commonwealth Games celebrations, our services have been holding a range of sporting activities designed to encourage customers to develop their sporting skills and try out new activities, from seated volleyball to boccia (boules). A range of different sports providers from the local communities have come in to Capability Scotland services to run taster sessions.

“As a result of the success of these events, new plans for sports and leisure activities across services have been put in place. We are looking forward to continue to work alongside ILiS to ensure that disabled people have the equal opportunities to participate in sport.”

Despite advances, however, it’s no level playing field and The Federation of Disability Sport has complied statistics that illustrate that there is still some way to go in changing attitudes to disability. For example:

One hundred and eighty disability hate crimes are committed every day in this country.
Fear and loss of confidence are the most common consequences of disability harassment.
Prosecutions and convictions for disability hate crime fell in 2011/12 after rising three years in a row – only partly due to fewer referrals from the police

And there are other barriers to participation – the opportunity to take part in sport and other social activities is often the last thing on the mind of some disabled people. For a considerable number, keeping a roof over their head, and finding enough money to both heat their homes and eat healthily is a daily challenge.

Earlier this week a group of eighty charities published a new report which accuses the UK government of systematically violating human rights law in it’s treatment of disabled people. The Just Fair report claims the government’s austerity programme and welfare reforms have undermined the rights of disabled people, causing ‘significant hardship.’

Professor of International Human Rights Law Aoife Nolan, who is a trustee of Just Fair, said: “Not only do these policies cause significant hardship and anxiety but they also amount to impermissable backward steps in relation to disabled peoples’ human right, contrary to the UN human rights framework.”

Unsurprisingly the government has dismissed the report, which has now been submitted to United Nations. Disability Minister Mike Penning – yes, the same man who heralded the ‘transformation’ – said the reforms are necessary to ‘fix a broken system”.

So while society’s attitudes to disabled people may be changing, there’s still a long long way to go. We’re still many miles away from awarding any gold medals.

Tonight’s the night for get2gether

New dates have been announced for a special club night in Edinburgh for local adults living with a disability, following the success of the first event earlier this year.

The next club night takes place tonight (Thursday 10 April, followed by June 12, August 14, October 16 and December 11.

The charity get2gether organises the club nights, which take place at the Cav nightclub. The event is an opportunity for people from Edinburgh and the Lothians living with a disability to meet up and make new friends.

get2gether is an Edinburgh-based organisation that arranges ordinary social activities in ordinary places for disabled people. The charity – which currently has over 70 local members – believes that everyone deserves the same opportunities for love and friendship.

Marion Smith, Project Co-ordintor, said: “Our launch night was a fantastic success with around 150 people coming along. There was a great atmosphere with people still dancing at 12.30pm! We’re delighted to release the rest of the club night dates for this year as we’re sure there are lots more people who will want to come once word spreads about how great they are.”

She added: “The nights are a great way for people, who are maybe not sure about going to a mainstream club night, to meet new people in a fun and safe place. After attending our events we hope that they will gain more confidence about going out and meeting new people. “

One member said: “It’s given me opportunities to do things I wouldn’t otherwise get to do.”

The club nights are free to members and £5 for non-members. The night runs from 8pm – 1am. To book a ticket or to find out more, email info@dates-n-mates-lothian.co.uk or phone Marion or Ellie on 07970 000454.

To find out more about the group – and the other events they run – visit http://get2gether.org.uk/

Lazarowicz attacks government for ‘betrayal’ of disabled workers

Mark Lazarowicz MP has condemned the betrayal of Edinburgh Remploy workers by Government and calls on all sides to work together to support workers made redundant.

The North and Leith MP was reacting to news that the Edinburgh Remploy factory in South Gyle is to close. Mark Lazarowicz MP for Edinburgh North and Leith has attacked the betrayal by the UK Government of disabled workers at the factory and called on Remploy, the Department of Work and Pensions, Scottish Government and the City Council to work together to help find the workers alternative employment.

Mr Lazarowicz (pictured below) said: “The news makes me wonder whether the Government was genuinely seeking to find bids to keep factories open or whether it was simply offering false hope. One of the stated aims of its welfare changes is to support disabled people into work wherever possible – laudable in principle but it is hard to square that with the way that it has treated Remploy workers. Staff will now find themselves out of work at a time when unemployment in Scotland is almost two and a half million. I call upon Remploy, the Department of Work and Pensions, Scottish Government and the City Council to make a concerted effort to help them find alternative employment.”

The factory was reprieved from closure along with other factories in July as the Remploy Board deemed that there was a potentially viable business plan to secure its future, but those hopes have now been dashed.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed that there had been an expression of interest in the factory, but that it had gone no further. She added: “We have followed the advice of disability expert Liz Sayce to use the £320m protected budget for disability employment more effectively, to support more disabled people into mainstream jobs instead of loss-making segregated factories. We have put in place an £8m package of employment support for those affected, including a Personal Case Worker to help individuals with their future choices, as well as access to a personal budget.”

Lazarowicz attacks government for 'betrayal' of disabled workers

Mark Lazarowicz MP has condemned the betrayal of Edinburgh Remploy workers by Government and calls on all sides to work together to support workers made redundant.