The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, (an ex-Lambeth councillor and resident!) has announced that he is abolishing Dial-a-Ride door-to-door fares for older and disabled Londoners. The move will benefit around 50,000 Londoners who currently pay to take 1.2 million journeys a year.
The Mayor outlined that he has taken this step as part of his commitment to provide equal access to public transport for all Londoners.
Dial-a-Ride is a door-to-door transport service provided by Transport for London for older and disabled people who cannot use buses, trains and the Tube. It is used for everyday journeys that are taken for granted by people who use mainstream public transport – including shopping, visiting friends and family, attending college, doctors and dentists appointments and evenings out. Following the Mayor’s announcement, services will be free from 1 January 2008. Carers travelling with disabled and other people on dial a ride will also travel free. The cost to Transport for London of delivering free Dial-a-Ride fares is £700,000.
This is the first in a series of planned steps to improve door to door services for disabled and older Londoners. The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said: ‘Free Dial-a-Ride services will benefit 50,000 older and disabled Londoners, who make 1.2 million trips each year on this vital door-to-door service to go about their every day lives.
‘Many of us perhaps take for granted the ability to use buses, trams and the Tube, but for many Londoners that is not an option. By abolishing fares on Transport for London’s Dial-a-Ride services, we are improving access to a vital lifeline for some of London’s most vulnerable people, many of whom are on lower incomes.
‘Every year we are investing more in door-to-door transport but we recognise that there is more to do. This is just the first step in our absolute commitment to revamp current door-to-door services in the capital leading to a comprehensive and flexible city-wide service which better meets the needs of passengers.’
This announcement marks the latest move to improve accessibility on London’s public transport. Since the end of 2005 all of London’s buses have been wheelchair accessible, as is the Docklands Light Railway and the Croydon Tram. Transport for London is working to increase the number of accessible Tube stations. All taxis are wheelchair accessible, and private hire vehicles as well as taxis are now obliged to carry assistance dogs.
The Mayor outlined that he has taken this step as part of his commitment to provide equal access to public transport for all Londoners.
Dial-a-Ride is a door-to-door transport service provided by Transport for London for older and disabled people who cannot use buses, trains and the Tube. It is used for everyday journeys that are taken for granted by people who use mainstream public transport – including shopping, visiting friends and family, attending college, doctors and dentists appointments and evenings out. Following the Mayor’s announcement, services will be free from 1 January 2008. Carers travelling with disabled and other people on dial a ride will also travel free. The cost to Transport for London of delivering free Dial-a-Ride fares is £700,000.
This is the first in a series of planned steps to improve door to door services for disabled and older Londoners. The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said: ‘Free Dial-a-Ride services will benefit 50,000 older and disabled Londoners, who make 1.2 million trips each year on this vital door-to-door service to go about their every day lives.
‘Many of us perhaps take for granted the ability to use buses, trams and the Tube, but for many Londoners that is not an option. By abolishing fares on Transport for London’s Dial-a-Ride services, we are improving access to a vital lifeline for some of London’s most vulnerable people, many of whom are on lower incomes.
‘Every year we are investing more in door-to-door transport but we recognise that there is more to do. This is just the first step in our absolute commitment to revamp current door-to-door services in the capital leading to a comprehensive and flexible city-wide service which better meets the needs of passengers.’
This announcement marks the latest move to improve accessibility on London’s public transport. Since the end of 2005 all of London’s buses have been wheelchair accessible, as is the Docklands Light Railway and the Croydon Tram. Transport for London is working to increase the number of accessible Tube stations. All taxis are wheelchair accessible, and private hire vehicles as well as taxis are now obliged to carry assistance dogs.
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