Another inaccessible Christmas
22/11/2011
The Government has failed to learn from last year’s Christmas access cabs debacle which left people with disabilities stranded, says Kelly Vincent Dignity for Disability MLC.
Already this year people with disabilities are being refused access cab bookings on Christmas day, with one woman’s booking actually cancelled after she attempted to change her destination suburb.
This means people with disabilities may be forced to spend Christmas isolated from family and friends.
“There are only 97 access cabs in the fleet, and there are thousands of people with disabilities in South Australia,” said Ms Vincent.
“At important times like Christmas the shortfall of cabs means people with disabilities are left out and lonely. The same thing happened last year, yet the Government is only just beginning to articulate a response.”
Access Cab drivers often struggle to make enough money to survive throughout the year because of low booking rates. But at Christmas and other peak demand times there are not enough cabs to service the disability community.
“This is a perpetual problem which will not fix itself,” said Ms Vincent. “Government intervention in the form of extra vehicles and drivers is needed at peak times to ensure people with disabilities are not abandoned at the most socially important times of year.”
This morning a representative from the department of transport told ABC radio the Government was considering using accessible mini buses to transport those who would otherwise be left behind on Christmas day.
“It is astounding that after experiencing the exact same problem last year the Government is only now preparing a response,” said Ms Vincent.
“This is yet another indication that the needs of people with disabilities are an afterthought in South Australia.”
