February 25 2020

Today the Department for Transport launch their campaign ‘it’s everyone’s journey’, championing equal access on public transport. In our latest blog post, CPT’s Chief Executive Graham Vidler writes about how we can all be more mindful when making journeys on the bus.

Transport is at the heart of how we live our lives. It helps us get to work, stay in touch with friends and family, connect us to society and access vital services like healthcare and education.

I am delighted that CPT is supporting ‘it’s everyone’s journey’, a new campaign from the Department for Transport that is championing equal access on public transport. Sometimes when we use public transport regularly we can become creatures of habit, with unconscious behaviours that can have a negative impact on disabled people, such as sitting in priority seats when we might not need to use them. ‘It’s everyone’s journey’ aims to show how collectively we can make a difference and create a more supportive travel environment, to help disabled people travel with confidence.

Bus operators are working to make travel more accessible and easier for disabled passengers to use, for example with next-stop audio announcements so people with visual impairments know when they have almost reached their destination, and journey assistance cards that people can use to let drivers know that they need extra help for their journey. As individuals we can play our part too. Below are some of the ways we can help to make travel more inclusive by being more mindful on our journeys.

  • Avoid taking priority spaces and seats if you don’t need them. Some people may not feel comfortable asking if they can use that space.
  • Offer assistance to people who may have difficulty getting onto the bus. Or if someone looks a little stranded, ask them if they are ok.
  • Avoid making loud noises. Loud behaviour can be harmful to people suffering from conditions like anxiety.

On Twitter this week CPT will be supporting the campaign’s launch using the official campaign hashtag #ItsEveryonesJourney. CPT will also be sharing tips on how people can travel more mindfully.

For more information about the ‘it’s everyone’s journey’ campaign, visit the campaign’s website https://everyonesjourney.campaign.gov.uk/ or follow the campaign’s official Twitter account @IEJGov