Keep on moving: a transport for all report from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Healthwatch Cambspboro organises and develops five Partnership Boards for Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council. The Partnership Boards wanted to talk about transport and some of the issues that cause problems for their members and especially elderly and disabled people locally. In August 2020 four meetings were held to talk about roads and footpaths, taxis, public transport and community transport.  

Roads and footpaths – roads and pavements dug up for utilities aren’t always repaired well enough for disabled people.  Parking on pavements and litter and leaves on paths can be a trip hazard.  When rights of way are changed, the needs of disabled people don’t seem to be thought about.  Cafes, restaurants and bars that put tables, chairs and advertising boards on pavements don’t think about the problems that these cause for disabled people.

Despite social distancing rules, taxi drivers should still help people with visual impairments get into the taxi.  Some taxi drivers won’t take motorised wheelchairs if they are too heavy for their car.  Some disabled people find that it is very difficult to book an accessible taxi in advance.

Bus routes mean that people often have to take several buses to go across the city, and buses don’t always marry up with hospital visiting times. Not all local buses have audio and video announcements of stops at the moment or lower buses at a bus stop.

Community transport schemes had changed their services because of the pandemic. Instead of driving people to places, the drivers run errands, fetch medication or shopping for people and deliver things to them at home

The report contains five recommendations to make transport more accessible.