Disability Equality News

Disability Equality Scotland Monthly Newsletter

Issue 25 – December 2019

Dear Member

Welcome to the latest edition of Disability Equality News, your monthly

newsletter from Disability Equality Scotland.

In this month's issue you will find:

• Disability Equality Scotland Festive Message!

• News: Discrimination and public transport, Grants to support active,

accessible travel, Help us make breast cancer screenings more

accessible, Social Inclusion in Participatory Budgeting.

• Surveys and Consultations: Weekly Poll - December Roundup,

Automated Vehicles, Proposed Disabled Children and Young People

(Transitions)(Scotland) Bill, Housing to 2040 consultation.

• The latest from our Online Information Hubs:

Accessible Travel Hub (www.accessibletravel.scot)

Inclusive Communication Hub (www.inclusivecommunication.scot)

If you have anything you would like the Disability Equality Scotland

community to read about in next month’s issue, make sure you get in touch

with us.

Best wishes,

The Disability Equality Scotland team

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 2

Thank You and

Merry Christmas As another year closes, we would like to

take this opportunity to wish all of our

members, Access Panels, sponsors and

partners a very Merry Christmas and all

the best of 2020.

2019 has been a fantastic year for Disability Equality Scotland which saw us:

• Increase our membership by 15%

• Publish 4 fantastic and informative issues of our magazine ‘Open

Door;

• Host many events across Scotland, enabling over 300 disabled people

to participate;

• Work with many organisations such as Mobility and Access Committee

for Scotland (MACS), Transport Scotland, the Scottish Ambulance

Service, ScotRail, FirstBus, Stagecoach and many others;

• Showcase ourselves and Access Panels in Parliament, having 16

MSPs pledge their continuing support.

In 2020 we look forward to working with all of our members, Access Panels,

sponsors and partners to:

• Host more events across Scotland;

• Present the accessibility category at the 2020 Transport Awards;

• Deliver training on Disability, Equality and Access;

• Establish greater partnerships with more organisations;

• Grow and value our membership and Access Panels;

• Launch a national hate crime charter across all transport modes;

• Promote our new youth member category.

We could not have achieved all that we have, or had the opportunity to

launch our new initiatives, without the support and goodwill of our members,

Access Panels, sponsors and partners.

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 3

We value your continued contribution and thank you for sharing your

thoughts and experiences with us in our weekly polls. These polls have

proven to be really effective in getting your message across, allowing us to

build an evidence base to fight your corner to work towards our Vision of

achieving full access and inclusion for disabled people in Scotland.

From our staff team and the Board of Disability Equality Scotland, we thank

you sincerely and we would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and

all the best of 2020!

Morven Brooks, Chief Executive Officer

Linda Bamford, Convenor

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 4

News: Discrimination

and public transport

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has launched a project that will

provide legal assistance and funding to disabled people and older people

who have faced discrimination when using, or trying to use, public transport.

Access to public transport is crucial for people to live independent and

fulfilling lives, to work, to visit family and friends, and to participate in society.

Despite this, transport options for disabled people and older people are

severely limited because of the lack of accessible transport. On top of this,

due to cuts to concessionary fares and local transport services, accessible

transport options tend to be more expensive. As a result, many disabled

people feel trapped by these high costs and limited options.1

In June, the Commission published its Strategic Plan for 2019-22 which

explains what it will work on over the next three years. Recognising the

importance of accessible transport to the lives of disabled people and older

people, and the need to ensure transport is available to all, the second of its

five priority aims is that ‘public transport supports the economic and social

inclusion of disabled people and older people’. To achieve this, the

Commission has set out the steps it will take, including supporting

passengers to legally challenge discrimination.

The legal support project for transport will provide legal assistance and

funding to disabled people and older people so they can challenge transport

providers when they experience discrimination. In doing so, the Commission

hopes to benefit not just those individuals directly involved, but the wider

public, by forcing transport providers to make changes to the way they

deliver public transport in Scotland. The project will accept applications in

Scotland from advisers and solicitors who are representing clients. It will

also consider applications from individuals themselves who the

Commission’s legal team may be able to represent in-house. Assistance or

funding can only be offered where a case relates to the specific provisions in

1 Equality and Human Rights Commission, Being disabled in Britain: A journey less equal, p.124.

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 5

the Equality Act 2010 that cover transport, and where the discrimination is

related to the protected characteristics of disability or age. Instances of

discrimination which may be covered by the Equality Act, and therefore by

the project, could include a bus driver harassing a disabled passenger, a

wheelchair user not being given the assistance required to board a train, or

a visually impaired person being unable to access an online booking system.

Disabled people and older people have been challenging transport providers

for a long time on the issues of discrimination and accessibility. The

Commission is determined that the legal support project for transport will

give them the support and assistance to be heard and to bring about positive

changes across the country. The following cases illustrate when and how

the Equality Act can be used to tackle discriminatory behaviour in the

provision of transport.

Paulley v FirstGroup Plc [2017] 1 W.L.R. 423

Mr Paulley, a wheelchair user, tried to board a bus but was unable to do so

because the wheelchair space was occupied by a passenger with a

pushchair. The bus driver asked the passenger to fold up the pushchair but

she refused to do this and Mr Paulley could not board the bus. He

subsequently missed a rail connection as a result.

The case, part of which the Commission funded, ended up in the Supreme

Court where it was concluded that the bus company had been in breach of

the Equality Act by failing to make reasonable adjustments for Mr Paulley. It

was recommended that bus companies should have a less ‘pallid’ policy to

deal with a situation where a passenger occupied the wheelchair space and

unreasonably refused to move. The judgements means that wheelchair

users should be given priority for wheelchair spaces on buses and that bus

companies should not operate a ‘first come first served’ policy in this way. It

also recommended that bus companies should have clear policies in place

and give training to drivers to remove the barriers wheelchair users face

when using buses.

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 6

Roads v Central Trains Ltd [2004] EWCA Civ 154

Mr Roads, who used an electric wheelchair, was unable to access one of the

platforms at a local train station, which could only be reached by a

footbridge. Mr Roads argued that Central Trains should provide him with a

taxi to allow him to travel from one platform to the other. Central Trains

offered two alternative solutions: Mr Roads could use an alternative route to

reach the platform – although Mr Roads contended that this was a difficult

and risky route for him – or he could travel to a nearby station which was

adapted for disabled passengers.

The Court of Appeal found that Central Trains had failed in its duty to make

reasonable adjustments and that providing a taxi for Mr Roads would have

been a reasonable step. It was noted that the purpose of the reasonable

adjustment duty is not a ‘minimalist policy of simply ensuring that some

access is available to the disabled’ but, in fact, is to ‘approximate the access

enjoyed by disabled persons to that enjoyed by the rest of the public’.

Although this case pre-dates the Equality Act 2010, the principles of the

reasonable adjustment duty, which were argued here under the Disability

Discrimination Act 1995, remain similar today.

Find out more about the legal support project for transport.

You can also email the Commission at transportproject-

scotland@equalityhumanrights.com or phone them on 0141 228 5959.

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 7

News: Disability Equality

Scotland Launch Hate Crime

Charter Pilot We are working with Stagecoach East, First Scotland East

and ScotRail to pilot our Hate Crime Charter. The aim of

the Pilot is to encourage transport providers, members of the public and

other services to support a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime.

Each transport provider involved believes everyone has the right to travel

safely and any aggressive, bullying or harassing behaviour will not be

tolerated on their services. Examples of hate crime will be taken seriously,

and incidents will be reported to Police Scotland.

The Charter is being piloted in the following locations:

• First Bus East – Bus services around Bannockburn in Stirlingshire

• ScotRail - Train stations on the Fife Circle line

• Stagecoach East – Bus services around Leven

Commenting on the Charter, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure

and Connectivity Michael Matheson said: “Every disabled person in Scotland

should be able to travel with choice, dignity and opportunity as outlined in

our Accessible Transport Framework. Tackling hate crime is a priority area

for us as we strive to improve accessibility and I would encourage transport

providers and members of the public to get behind this charter so that

everyone can feel safe and secure when using public transport to go about

their daily lives.”

If you spot the Charter send us a picture of it using the hashtag:

#DontIgnoreItReportIt

For more information about the Charter, visit our Accessible Travel Hub

www.accessibletravel.scot/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Hate-Crime-Charter-

Draft-for-pilot.pdf

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 8

News: Improving

support for

neurological conditions

A five-year action plan to support people with a neurological condition has

been published by Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick.

The action plan will ensure people get access to personalised care and

support regardless of their particular condition or where in Scotland they live.

It has been developed with the neurological community and will be

supported by £4.5 million of funding.

The plan also aims to build a sustainable neurological workforce to deliver

high standards of care in a timely manner.

Speaking at the Scottish Epilepsy Centre, Mr FitzPatrick said:

“Around one million people in Scotland live with a neurological condition

ranging from common conditions such as migraines to life-limiting illnesses

such as Motor Neurone Disease.

“We recognise the scale, variety and context of neurological conditions and

how distressing they can be for the person with the condition and their

family. There are a number of challenges these can present the health and

social care system and much has been achieved and is being done to

address this, particularly through the integration of health and social care.

“This new plan will build on what is working well, while supporting those

responsible for providing care and support, and those planning services to

tackle the challenges.”

Alice Harper, Chief Executive of Quarriers said:

“The William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre welcomes the framework as

it will help people affected by epilepsy get the right support at the right time,

and receive the quality support they deserve.

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 9

"We share the values of the National Action Plan in promoting person-

centred health and social care in local communities as well as specialist

resources like the William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre which focus on

people living a life where their condition does not define them."

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 10

News: Grants to support

active, accessible travel

Could a local community group in your area - including

your Access Panel - benefit from a grant from Paths

for All’s ‘Open Fund’? This is a grant scheme under

the ‘Smarter Choices, Smarter Places’ programme

which aims to encourage ‘active travel’ - by which is

meant walking (and wheeling), cycling and also travel

by public transport.

The Fund has supported dozens of projects across Scotland including some

that have access and inclusion objectives. So for example, deafscotland

received an award to produce a video raising awareness among cyclists of

how to avoid conflict with deaf people, and Living Streets Edinburgh have an

award about removing ‘pavement clutter’. However, there is a lot more

scope for disability groups to access this funding to make local travel more

inclusive.

Grants are from £5k to £50k and can only be awarded for revenue projects -

so you can’t buy capital items such as vehicles or fund infrastructure

improvements such as fixing pavements. But it can fund research,

awareness-raising and ‘behaviour change’ campaigns. Match funding is

required - the grants only fund a maximum of 50% of total project costs - so

another funding partner is needed (almost all councils contribute to projects).

For guidance on the fund, how to apply and details of previously funded

projects, see:

https://www.pathsforall.org.uk/open-fund

David Hunter

Not for Profit Planning

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 11

News: Help us make breast cancer

screenings more accessible

While it is admirable that in Scotland people are screened for a

number of cancers on a regular basis, reports have shown us

that disabled people have been unable to access screenings for

a number of reasons. These include: inaccessible screening

venues, screening equipment that isn’t adaptable to the individual, and

screening being a distressing experience for people with learning disabilities.

Earlier this year we were told the experience of a women living with MS who

has twice been unable to undergo routine breast cancer screening as she is

unable to weight bear due to her MS. She continues to be regularly called

for screening despite no changes being made to how they administrator the

mammogram, they came to us at the MS Society looking for support to

make changes to the current system.

In July 2019 the Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing announced

a fundamental review of the Scottish Breast Screening Programme,

following an increased demand in the programme. We will be inputting to

this review to drastically improve the experience of people with MS when

undergoing breast cancer screening, particularly for those who cannot

weight bare.

Over 11,000 people live with MS in Scotland. It’s a chronic neurological

condition which can cause problems with how people walk, move, see, think

and feel. There are many more people in Scotland living with other

disabilities and long-term conditions who will be potentially impacted by the

lack of screening facilities for people who cannot weight bear. So, we’re

calling for other charities and organisations to join us in working together to

respond in a way that is mutually beneficial for the people we support.

Please get in touch if you’d like to be involved:

Heather Armstrong, Campaigns Coordinator, MS Society Scotland.

scotlandcampaigns@mssociety.org.uk

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 12

News: Scottish Learning Disability

Awards 2020

The Scottish Learning Disability Awards are hosted by the

Scottish Commission for Learning Disability (SCLD). The Awards

provide an opportunity to celebrate, on a national level, the rarely heard

stories and achievements of people with learning disabilities and the people

who support them. The Awards take place during Scottish Learning

Disability Week (18th - 24th May 2020).

The award categories for 2020 are:

• Community Champion

• Skills and Learning

• Social Enterprise

• Employee Recognition

• Creative Innovation

• Sport Achievement

• Family Carer and their

Relative

• Living your Best Life

There are three ways to nominate someone for the Scottish Learning

Disability Awards:

• Complete an online nomination form(s) by visiting the webpage of the

Award you wish to nominate someone for on the SCLD website

• Fill in a paper copy of a nomination form(s) and email or post it back to

SCLD

• Fill in an easy read version of a nomination form and email or post it

back to SCLD

To find out more about the Scottish Learning Disability Awards, visit our

webpage: https://www.scld.org.uk/learning-disability-week/learning-disability-

awards/

If you have any questions please phone 0141 248 3733 or email

awards@scld.co.uk Nominations close on Monday 3 February 2020.

SCLD will get in touch with everyone who has nominated for an award

during the week of 23rd March 2020.

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 13

News: Social Inclusion in

Participatory Budgeting

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) is

working with local authorities towards the 1% Framework

Agreement for participatory budgeting. They will be hosting a

series of workshops in the new year which will focus on

overcoming barriers to participation during the design, decision making and

outcomes of Participatory Budgeting processes.

Outcomes from the workshops will be incorporated into national guidance for

local authorities working towards meeting the 1% agreement. To date three

workshops have been scheduled which will examine digital access,

accessible communication and access to processes or events.

• Monday 27 January (1-4pm), COSLA, Verity House,

Edinburgh: Jointly hosted with the Democratic Society, the Digital

Access and Inclusion session will discuss accessibility of

the CONSUL online decision-making platform. The session will also

discuss how digital engagement and literacy can be enhanced for

those at risk of digital exclusion owing to disability, age or health

factors.

• Monday 3 February (1-4pm), COSLA, Verity House, Edinburgh:

The Access for All session will explore how current participatory

processes fail to support those living with physical disabilities and

other complex needs to take part. Previous small grants PB activity

has focused upon hosting community events or meetings which may

be difficult for some to attend. This session will explore previous

experiences of engaging in participatory events and propose ways in

which access can be improved.

• Monday 10 February (1-4pm), COSLA, Verity House,

Edinburgh: The Communication for All session will explore how

participatory processes, and how they are communicated, can be

made more inclusive for those who face barriers to participation owing

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 14

to sensory impairment, learning disability, older age, disability or

stroke.

We would like to see as many members with lived experience attend

sessions to help us identify good practice in designing inclusive participatory

processes.

Workshop places are limited. If you would like to attend or invite members to

attend, please contact katey@cosla.gov.uk for more information.

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 15

Weekly Poll Results: December

2019

The Weekly Poll is a simple YES/NO question published

each week on our Your Say on Disability website:

www.yoursayondisability.scot. There is also an opportunity

to leave a comment on the chosen topic.

Thank you to everyone who completed our Weekly Poll during the month of

December. Below is a summary of the questions that we asked:

Thistle Assistance - Week Beginning 25 November

Question: Have you heard about the Thistle Assistance Card?

Your feedback: Yes - 69% (167 respondents) No - 31% (76 respondents)

Your comments:

“The pavements, bus stops and some bus drivers are the problem.”

“The thistle card doesn’t make transport more accessible. Only

transformational change will.”

Read the Disability Equality Scotland briefing paper on our Your Say on

Disability website: www.yoursayondisability.scot/weekly-poll-results-thistle-

assistance-week-beginning-25-november/

General Election 2019 - Week Beginning 2 December Question: In the run-up to elections, do you think that political parties do

enough to make their manifestos available in accessible formats?

Your feedback: Yes - 15% (12 respondents) No - 85% (70 respondents)

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 16

Your comments:

“The manifestos should be available sooner to allow time to absorb the

information and so that organisations that analyse content for specific topics,

such as disability, can produce helpful summaries most relevant to my

concerns.”

“Have not received any accessible information (Braille) from any of the

Political Parties. Have requested same but received nothing. This has been

the state of play for about the last three General Elections – It is as if the

Vote of Disabled People is not important.”

Building Regulations - Week Beginning 9 December Question: Would you support a move in Scotland to adopt a similar building

regulations layout as England and Wales to make accessibility guidance

easier to find within the building regulations?

Your feedback: Yes - 85% (29 respondents) No – 15% (5 respondents)

Your comments:

“As a wheelchair user I despair of the Scottish regulations. I would like to

see a day when I could have an equal opportunity to visit shops, services

and friends without having to question whether or not the premises are truly

accessible.”

“Certainly not! There seems to be a lack of knowledge on the history of

building standards in Scotland, not regulations. In the 1990s there was a

concerted effort including substantial consultation that included disabled

people to integrate the accessibility part of the building standard.”

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 17

Consultation: Automated Vehicles

The Law Commissions have published

the second consultation paper in their

three-year review of the UK’s regulatory

framework for automated vehicles.

This paper looks at the regulation of self-driving vehicles which could travel

empty or only with passengers, without a human driver or user-in-charge.

They focus on self-driving vehicles providing mobility services to the public,

which are referred to as Highly Automated Road Passenger Services

(HARPS).

The paper builds on the work in the first consultation on safety assurance

and allocating legal responsibility.

We invite you to respond to the paper by 16 January 2020.

The Law Commissions have set up an online portal for submitting responses

but welcome input in any format. If you have ideas for consultation events or

would like a meeting, please get in touch.

The consultation paper, summary and details for how to respond are

available on the Law Commission project page at

https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/automated-vehicles/

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 18

Consultation: Proposed Disabled

Children and Young People

(Transitions)(Scotland) Bill

This is a consultation on a draft proposal for a Bill to improve the outcomes

for children and young people with a disability in the transition to adulthood.

This requires the Scottish Government to implement a national strategy and

requires local authorities to prepare and deliver a transition plan for each

disabled child.

This consultation document sets out the case for introducing statutory duties

to ensure that a higher proportion of disabled children and young people

have positive transitions which help them to access their rights, fulfil their

ambitions and make the most of their lives. The consultation seeks your

views on whether or not you believe these proposed new legal duties will

make a positive difference to the lives of disabled children and young

people.

At age 16, the aspirations of disabled and non-disabled young people are

broadly the same. By 26, however, disabled people are more likely to be out

of work than their non-disabled peers, and are three-times more likely to feel

hopeless and to agree that ‘‘Whatever I do has no real effect on what

happens to me”. Young disabled people deserve the chance and support to

realise their dreams.

Full details, including the consultation document and a copy of the proposed Bill, can be accessed at:

https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/Bills/113161.aspx

The consultation will run until 22 January 2020

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 19

Consultation:

Housing to 2040

Housing has a vital role to play in meeting many of our ambitions for

Scotland, including eradicating child poverty and homelessness, ending fuel

poverty, tackling the effects of climate change and promoting inclusive

growth.

The Scottish Government’s ambition is that everyone in Scotland should live

in high quality, energy efficient homes that are affordable and that meet their

needs. We also want to ensure we have a housing system that is dynamic

and resilient enough to respond to future changes and can help to address

the number of challenges we are facing, including an ageing population and

a global climate emergency.

In our 2019-2020 Programme for Government, we reaffirmed our

commitment to plan together with stakeholders for how our homes and

communities should look and feel in 2040 and the options and choices to get

there. Now is the time to reimagine our housing system, and to do that, we

want to continue to build on the collective wisdom and expertise from across

the wide and varied housing sector and from communities across Scotland.

We want to hear people’s views on our draft vision and principles for 2040

and their ideas for how to make them a reality.

Draft vision and principles for 2040

• documents setting out the Scottish Government’s draft vision and principles for 2040

Housing to 2040 consultation

• an open letter to stakeholders setting out how they can engage with the Housing to 2040 consultation

• the consultation portal where you can submit your views and ideas for Housing to 2040

• details of the ‘Present Voices, Future Lives’ housing exhibition and programme schedule

• A step-by-step guide to running your own Housing to 2040 consultation event or workshop

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 20

We are hosting stakeholder engagement events as part of our consultation.

These will give delegates a chance to hear from Scottish Government

officials about Housing to 2040 and to share their views.

• Airdrie 15 January 2020 • Dumfries 24 January • Aberdeen 27 January • Glasgow 5 February • Crieff 11 February • Edinburgh 17 February

We are also hosting the following events for social tenants and landlords, and for those involved in the private rented sector.

• Social Tenants and Landlords Event (Glasgow) 5 February

• Private Rented Sector Event (Edinburgh) 25 February

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 21

Accessible Travel Hub

www.accessibletravel.scot The Accessible Travel Hub is a website for

you to find information, articles and

guidance on Accessible Travel in

Scotland. The Hub launched alongside the

Accessible Travel Framework, a ten-year

plan by Transport Scotland to improve

travel access for disabled people.

What Can I Find on the Hub?

• Articles and Information on accessible transport in Scotland;

including the rules and responsibilities of transport providers.

• Dedicated Transport Mode page for Transport providers

/operators to promote good practice in access-related work.

• Links to resources, including; PAMIS’ map of Changing Places

toilets, Radar keys, Thistle Cards, Traveline Scotland, Hate

Crime Reporting.

• Signpost to relevant training courses, including disability

awareness and inclusive communication.

• News and blog featuring up to date accessible travel news in

Scotland.

Latest News and Blog Posts

• Engineering Works In Edinburgh Friday 27 and Sunday 29 December

• Thistle Assistance: A little extra help from A to B

• Disability Equality Scotland Launch Hate Crime Charter Pilot

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 22

Thistle Assistance: A little extra

help from A to B

Calling all travellers! Thistle Assistance has officially

launched its brand-new look with a newly- designed

Thistle Assistance card, app and website to help make

travelling by public transport in Scotland more

comfortable and accessible for everyone.

Thistle Assistance is all about helping to relieve travel anxiety and

encouraging people to feel confident when using different forms of public

transport across Scotland. Anxiety UK found that ‘the main causes reported

of anxiety whilst travelling were the behaviour and attitudes of other people,

and difficulties finding the way, including the fear of being lost’. The Thistle

Assistance card and app seek to ease these feelings of anxiousness and get

more people out and about.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael

Matheson said:

“I’m pleased we have been able to provide £30,000 to support SEStran in

refreshing the Thistle Assistance brand.

“Thistle Assistance helps to deliver on the vision outlined in our Accessible

Travel Framework, that every disabled person in Scotland can travel with the

same freedom, choice, dignity and opportunity as other citizens.

“This was a priority area for us in our annual delivery plan to improve

accessible travel and I’m sure that users right across Scotland will benefit

from the additional features and information now available through Thistle

Assistance.”

Members of the public who request a free Thistle Assistance card will

receive an information leaflet with the card and icon stickers to place on the

back of the card indicating what assistance they may need while travelling.

The app follows the same format as the physical card and can be

downloaded for free from all online app stores.

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 23

Research for the card and app brought to light people’s experiences of travel

and the obstacles they face. These included challenges for visually impaired

travellers with wide and steep gaps between trains and platforms, as well as

difficulty reading departure screens at bus and train stations. Thistle

Assistance aims to improve the journey experience for those who require

extra assistance as they travel around Scotland.

One card user commented, “I find the Thistle Assistance card is an easy

way to ask for help without making a song and dance about it. It just

discreetly informs a member of transport staff what I need, whether that’s

assistance getting off the train or letting me know when it’s my stop. The

card’s always in my wallet now so it gives me peace of mind when I travel.”

Thistle Assistance’s brand-new website (www.thistleassistance.com) is

complemented by dedicated social media pages to engage with and learn

from people who use the card and app to help make transport accessible to

all.

Thistle Assistance is a key component of transport strategy in Scotland and

delivers on the Scottish Government’s ambition to have an inclusive and

accessible transport system. SEStran and the six other Regional Transport

Partnerships, Disability Equality Scotland, Transport Scotland and transport

operators are all working towards this ambition.

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 24

News: Scottish Transport

Awards 2020 Open for

Nominations!

We are excited to be working with the Transport Times to sponsor next

year’s Scottish Transport Awards!

We will be presenting the Excellence in Transport Accessibility award. An

entry in this category covers projects or initiatives that can demonstrate

improved access to travel or the travel experience for disabled people.

The Transport Times will be looking for entries which highlight innovation,

the extent to which the proposer has sought to build upon learning through

engagement with disabled people, positive team or partnership

collaboration, and the extent to which they benefit disabled people who are

in hard-to-reach groups.

Key dates:

Entry Submissions Page Opens 1 Nov 2019

Entry Deadline: 14 Feb 2020

Shortlist Announced: Late March/Early April 2020

Awards Ceremony: 11 June 2020

How to take part

To submit an entry for the Awards, visit the Transport Times website:

https://www.transporttimes.co.uk/awards.php/Scottish-Transport-Awards-3/

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 25

Inclusive Communication Hub

www.inclusivecommunication.scot Supported by the Scottish Government,

we are working with Sense Scotland

and other partners to host the Inclusive

Communication Hub; a website that has

been developed for anyone with an

interest in improving their inclusive

communication tools and processes.

What Is Inclusive Communication?

Inclusive communication means sharing information in a way that everyone

can understand. For service providers, it means making sure that you

recognise that people understand and express themselves in different ways.

For people who use services, it means getting information and expressing

themselves in ways that meet their needs. Throughout this Hub you will find

helpful resources such as case studies and blogs from employers and

individuals; details of training and the latest news on Inclusive

Communication.

Latest Blog Post: Political Parties Must Do More to Produce

Information in Accessible Formats

In the latest poll by Disability Equality Scotland, the majority of respondents

(85%) felt that political parties do not do enough to make their manifestos

available in accessible formats.

A manifesto is a publication issued by a political party before a General

Election. It contains the set of policies that the party stands for and would

wish to implement if elected to govern.

The Electoral Commission published a report entitled "Elections for

Everyone", which highlights the challenges disabled people face during an

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 26

election and what improvements can be made to make elections more

inclusive and accessible for all.

The report recommends that when political parties publish their manifestos,

they should make sure accessible formats are available at the same time.

Examples of accessible formats include: Easy Read, Audio, BSL, Braille,

Clear Print, Plain Text.

However, the recent poll by Disability Equality Scotland highlights that far

more must be done by political parties to ensure they are producing

information that is available in a format that is accessible and engages with

disabled voters.

A summary of the poll can be found on the Inclusive Communication Hub:

www.inclusivecommunication.scot/political-parties-must-do-more-to-

produce-information-in-accessible-formats

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 27

Easy Read Service

Disability Equality Scotland provide a professional and

efficient Easy Read service to all sectors, as part of our

commitment towards improving access to information

for all.

What is Easy Read? Easy Read is an accessible format that makes written information easier to

understand. The Easy Read format is easy to understand because it uses

simple, jargon free language, shorter sentences and supporting images.

Why produce Easy Read documents? Easy Read documents make information more accessible to people with

learning disabilities. They can also be useful for people with other

communication difficulties including:

• acquired brain injury

• dyslexia

• people with hearing impairment whose first language is British Sign Language (BSL)

• people who do not speak English as their first language

• people who find reading difficult

• people with cognitive impairments such as dementia.

The Equality Act The Equality Act (2010) requires organisations to produce information in an

accessible format. Easy Read can ensure that disabled people have equal

access to information and are not discriminated against.

Who do I contact? For more information about our Easy Read service, including examples of

our work, please visit our website: www.easyread.scot

You can also contact us by telephone: 0141 370 0968

or email: admin@disabilityequality.scot

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 28

Your Membership Matters

Below is a reminder of what we offer our members. If you would like to find

out more then please contact us.

Support and Signposting We answer many member enquiries and signpost them to the appropriate

organisation, individual or information source.

Networking Opportunities We make introductions to key decision makers and contacts and make sure

members have frequent opportunities to meet and network with relevant

audiences. We help members make the right connections.

Your views, experiences, and expertise All our policy is formulated directly from our member’s views, experiences,

and expertise. We believe that our members are the experts.

We respond to all relevant Scottish Government, parliamentary, think tank

and other consultations. We regularly ask our members for their views on

many diverse policy issues which then directly feeds into our policy work and

government consultation responses.

Information Leaflets We provide information leaflets on the projects we are working on. You will

receive a copy of our leaflets in your Members Welcome Pack. If you

require any additional copies, please call the office to request this or

alternatively they can be downloaded from our website.

Issue 25 December 2019 Page 29

Our Sponsors Disability Equality Scotland is grateful for the generosity of its sponsors and their ongoing support as we work together toward achieving the goals of the organisation.

Disability Equality Scotland is funded by:

Connect with us... Disability Equality Scotland @DEScotTweets

Copyright © 2019 Disability Equality Scotland, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:

Suite 204B, The Pentagon Centre, 36 Washington Street, Glasgow, G3 8AZ

Tel: 01259 272064, Email: admin@disabilityequality.scot

Website: www.disabilityequality.scot