Thursday 10 May 2007
The first stand up comedy act to be performed on a Nottingham bus takes place today (Thursday 10 May) to get more young people using public transport.
Comedian Paul Betny will be 'standing up' for public transport by performing his comedy routine to passengers on a city bus to launch ‘GOJO' - a campaign to get more young people to use buses, trains and trams in Nottingham and four other English cities.
GOJO is for the thousands of young people who have difficulties in, or lack confidence using, public transport.* A recent poll found that twice as many young disabled people said they lacked confidence using public transport than their non disabled peers.**
GOJO is a Disability Rights Commission campaign, supported by local transport operators, charities and youth groups. NCT in Nottingham is a key partner in the campaign – Paul Betny will be performing his comedy routine on an NCT bus.
The centrepiece of the campaign is the website – at www.mygojo.co.uk – which will give new and detailed information on how to plan a journey around the city. The website will provide practical hints and tips to increase young people's confidence travelling on public transport along with information on special deals for young people in the city and how to travel there.
Young people, their friends and families are being encouraged to take trips on public transport from now until the longest weekend in June - from the Summer Solstice on Thursday June 21, to Sunday June 24. Figures show that in Nottingham there are over 5,300 young disabled people aged 16-25 years old, and a further 30,000 across the East Midlands . They are being encouraged to consider the benefits of public transport and feed back their experiences on the GOJO website.
Sir Bert Massie Chairman of the DRC said: “GOJO is all about supporting young people who may think public transport isn't for them.
“The improvements which have made it easier to use buses and trains should make it easier for young people in the Nottingham to be independent and in control.
“We're also working with transport providers in Nottingham to help equip staff with the skills they need to ensure that more young people are confident about the journeys they make.”
Anthony Carver-Smith, Network Development and Quality Controller at NCT said :
“NCT is pleased to support and participate in the DRC's GOJO campaign to encourage young disabled travellers to use the Nottingham bus network. In recent years, we have invested many millions of pounds in new, fully accessible buses which now account for over 50% of our fleet and we are on track to be fully accessible ahead of the national target date.
NCT recognises that new buses are only part of the picture when making bus services accessible for our passengers and we are also investing in interactive, refresher disability rights training for all our bus drivers and welcome the support from the local authorities who are investing in infrastructure improvements and concessionary schemes, such as the City Council's Mobility CityCard, to provide free access to bus services and local libraries and leisure centres as well as discounts at many retailers. ”
GOJO is being launched following changes to the Disability Discrimination Act introduced in December 2006 which gave disabled people the right, for the first time, to fair treatment on public transport. It also follows major investment in making transport vehicles more user friendly.
Also, when we launched GOJO recently we did some stand up comedy on local buses in front of some unsuspecting passengers! For a little light relief on a Monday afternoon click on http://youtube.com/GOJOvids to see the comedy clips.
GOJO CAMPAIGN: CITY FACTS - NOTTINGHAM
Population
Young disabled people (aged between 16-25) in Nottingham = 5,369
Young disabled people in the East Midlands : 37,063/ 7.9% of the whole population
Nottingham has an exceptionally high percentage of young people in the 15 – 26 age range.
Compared to other cities Nottingham has a high number of residents with mobility impairments who are statistically less likely to be able to access work, education, health or leisure facilities.
Transport Operators
Bus : Nottingham City Transport, Trent Barton
Tram : Nottingham Express Transit (NET)
Train : Midland Mainline, Central Trains, Arriva Northern
Transport Accessibility in Nottingham
• A very new tram system which is fully accessible.
• Already 96% of buses and trams within the city are low floor, which is far higher than any other city, and 85% are fully accessible.
• On target for the two main bus operators to have 100% accessibility by 2010.
• The city claims to have the highest level of bus use outside London .
Existing policies on free travel for young disabled people
The Mobility Citycard is taken up by a significant number of 16 – 24 year olds. From 1st April 2006, people aged 60 or over and disabled people have been entitled to free off-peak local bus travel (after 09:30am) anywhere within Nottingham City . M obility Citycard holders can also get half price bus journeys from Nottingham to Manchester and the peak district and most other National Express coach services. Citycard holders are also entitled to significant discounts on local and national rail journeys.
Miles traveled in the East Midlands
The average person in the East Midlands took 52 trips by bus and 19 trips by other modes of public transport in 2004-5 out of a total of trips by all modes of 1,046. That is 222 miles by local bus and 420 miles by other forms of public transport.
Most trips (by all modes) taken in the East Midlands in 2004-5 were for shopping (206), followed by visiting friends (173), commuting (159), escorting others (152) and personal business (101).
THE TRAVEL GAP - Although there is no regional or age breakdown, disabled people are up to five times more likely not to take a trip on public transport in an average week than a non-disabled person
Case Study- Nottingham City Transport
NCT operate a fleet of 337 buses of which 311 (92%) are low floor and 178 are certified as fully accessible (53%). 21 brand new, fully accessible buses delivered in 2007 to continue providing one of the most modern, accessible bus networks in the UK.
Fully accessible buses are operating on the NCT Go2 network which is a core network of 14 routes carrying around 25m passengers per annum.
All 800 NCT drivers will have undertaken interactive, refresher DDA training by May/June 2007. This training includes theory and practical sessions looking at the needs of disabled passengers when using the bus, deployment of on-bus ramps for wheelchair users, how to assist passengers getting on and off the bus, role-play experience of different disabilities, including blindness, deafness, wheelchair use.
Development of an “accompanied journey” scheme where new bus users who are unfamiliar with the bus network or how to make a journey with NCT can request support to help overcome initial fears. This scheme, to be launched autumn 2007, would involve an NCT representative assisting passengers on an individual basis from the very first stages of planning a journey to actually travelling from their home to a final destination by bus.
Provision of bus timetable information in alternative formats, such as large print, Braille and electronically through Triptimes.Development of NCT website to allow accessibility for all, following guidelines set by WW3.
Accessible bus stop programme in place in Greater Nottingham with continued partnership working with the City and County Councils over bus stop infrastructure development – raised kerbs, enforcement of stops, pavement and carriageway improvements.
A trial of providing real-time information to blind passengers on Go2 route 11 through a key-fob scheme
Regular consultation with local disability representative groups across Greater Nottingham
Mobility Citycard success
Nottingham 's Mobility Citycard gives free all day travel on buses and trams to those with a qualifying disability and take-up has increased substantially.
• 37% of all disabled people within Nottingham have a Mobility Citycard compared to 21% three years ago.
• Bus use increased by 50% over the same period and tram use by a staggering 250%.
The Mobility Citycard is also available t o companions of visually impaired pass holders, or if a doctor has certified that a disabled person needs the assistance of a companion.
Nottingham is bidding for funding for 'starter' buddies, for those who need assistance on public transport for a short time until they are happy to move around independently. Issuing free companion travel passes would bring yearly profits to the city of an estimated £300,000 at a cost of £50,000.
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