Objection to ARA Exemption Application: Lonsdale

From: Elise Lonsdale
Sent: Monday, 12 September 2005 1:14 PM
To: disabdis

Subject: Disability Accessibility for Public Transport Exemption

Disability Accessibility for Public Transport Exemption

Dear Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission,

I Elise Lonsdale of Mount Waverley Victoria, do not support the request for exemption under the DDA
Transport Standard by the ARA and urge HREOC to reject this request.

In my opinion, public transport is hard enough to use and it has been for far to long. It is also quite dangerous for those of us with a vision disability. Not only is it a dangerous venture each time we use the trains, trams and busses it's also very frustrating for blind and vision impaired travellers for the following reasons.

In Victoria/Melbourne, our Blind Person's Travel Permit can't open the barriers at stations and we can't get through them without assistance
Trains don't always announce which stop they are approaching, you never know where you are
In the event of public works (E.G the redevelopment of Southern Cross Station/Spenser Street Station) Trains don't always announce that they are bypassing that station.
Tram drivers are rood and have no idea about communicating when they have reached the stop a blind person wishes to disembark at.
Tram drivers won't advise blind people what number tram they are unless you first enteragate the driver, normally through a glass window.
Taxi Drivers in Victoria, are getting worse, they no longer know where they are going.
Taxi Drivers can't read maps.
Taxi Drivers don't tell travellers where they are, (How on earth if you are totally blind are you meant to know if you're going in the right direction or not?)
As proven two years ago with the Multy Purpose Taxi Program, taxi drivers often rip off the system and you never know if the right amount has been charged to your card.

As well as my own problems, I'm sure there are many issues concerning other people with disabilities. Therefore I do not support any request for exemption under the DDA.

If you would like to discuss any of the issues above, please don't hesitate to contact me on the details below.