ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORT
STRATEGY 2025 –
CONSULTATION DOCUMENT
This is our plan for making
transport in Northern Ireland easier
for people with a disability and
older people
Easyread
Version
What is in this plan?
Page
About this plan
1
What is in the plan
3
How to get in touch with us
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About this plan
We are called the Department for Regional
Development. We are part of the Government
in Northern Ireland and look after transport.
This plan is about how we will make transport in
Northern Ireland easier to use for people with
disabilities and older people. Transport includes
things like buses, trains and taxis.
Easy to use transport will help people with a
disability and older people to get out and about
more and do the things they want to do in their
lives.
This is another plan that we have made about
making transport for older and people with a
disability better.
The plan talks about the things we want to see
happen in the next 10 years.
We will be helped on some of the things in this
plan by a group of people with a disability and
older people called the Inclusive Mobility
Transport Advisory Committee which we are
also call IMTAC.
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Before we made the plan we talked to lots of
people including IMTAC and other groups of
older people and people with disabilities. They
came up with a list of things that would help
make transport better for people with a disability
people and older people. These people will help
us to make transport better for the next 10
years.
The people who helped us make the plan said
that people with a disability and older people
should be able to help in making decisions
about transport.
They also said that the people in charge of
getting new transport should:
o
Always follow a law called the Disability
Discrimination Act. This law makes sure
people with a disability are treated in a good
and fair way.
o
Work with people with a disabiltiy and older
people to make sure new transport is easy
and safe for them to use.
o
Ppeople with a disability and older people
should get help to travel safely using cars
and other transport that they use.
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What is in the Plan?
Here is a list of the things in the plan we want to
do to help make transport better over the next
10 years.
1. We will continue to find out what people with
a disability and older people think about using
transport and try to make it enjoyable and
comfortable for them.
2. People should be able to get information
about transport in ways that are easy for them to
understand. This might include using easy
words with pictures or spoken on a CD, a
computer or using new ways to connect with our
transport services on your mobile phone.
3. People with a disability and older people
should continue to get help with the cost of
travel so they can use transport more often.
4. We have made a booklet called Travel Safe
which explains how to use the transport system
for people who have learning disabilities. We
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want as many people as possible to have this
booklet and so we will make sure schools and
people with a disability can get a copy.
5. Staff from a company called Translink who
run the buses and trains will get better training
to help them understand better how to help
people with a disability or older people use
transport more easily.
6. We talk to other countries about how their
transport works and see what we can learn from
each other.
7. We will make sure that all new trains and
buses are easy for people with a disability and
older people to use.
8. We will make sure the Blue Badge scheme
works even better in towns and cities and we
will make sure that people do not using the blue
badge the wrong way.The Blue Badge is a card
people with a disability can put in their car
windows. It means they can park in more
places.
9. We will make it better for you to get
information about times of buses and trains at
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bus stops and in other new ways like using your
mobile phone or the internet.
10. We will work to see if we can make bus and
train timetables easier for everyone to read.
11. We will work with Translink to see if we can
improve information using new ideas on your
mobile phone or the internet, so that you can
see and hear on buses and at bus stops.
12. A new and better guide will be produced to
tell people with a disability what they can
expect when they use buses and trains.
13. We will look at what the best ways are to
help train people with a disability how to use the
transport system here.
14. People with a disability and older people will
continue to help the government and Translink
to make the bus and rail services better.
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.
15. We will work to make sure that bus and rail
stations are safer and easier places to get to.
16. We will work with other transport services to
help people with a disability and older people
use public transport better.
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How to get in touch with us
We would like to know what you think about our
plan. Are you happy with it? Have we left
anything out? Contact us using the addresses
below.
This easy read information is on our website
and you can also respond to the questions by
clicking on the link below:
https://consultations.nidirect.gov.uk/departmentfor-regional-development/accessible-transportstrategy-2025
You can also get a copy of our plan in audio
format at this address.
You can also get this information in large print
(big writing), on CD or in Braille.
Write to us at this address
Sustainable Transport Branch
Governance Policy and Resources Group
Department for Regional Development
Room 301,
Clarence Court
10-18 Adelaide Street
Belfast, BT2 8GB
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E mail: atsinfo@drdni.gov.uk
Phone us on 028 9054 0468
Fax us on 028 9054 0604
MINICOM/TEXTPHONE: 028 90540662
TEXT RELAY SERVICE: 028 90540179
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YOUR VIEWS ON A NEW
ACCESSIBLE
TRANSPORT STRATEGY
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Accessible Transport Strategy
In the last 10 years, do you think using buses, trains and stations
for older people and people with a disability has got better?
Yes
No
Why? Tell us about your views on
concessionary fares;
how easy it is to get on buses or trains
how easy it is to use stations and bus stops.
What was your experience using public transport and (if applicable) as a
pedestrian.
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Do you think that there is a need for an Accessible Transport
Strategy?
Yes
No
Please tell us why?
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Accessible Transport Strategy Vision
Our vision for a new Accessible Transport Strategy is to have a
transport network in Northern Ireland that is easy for all people to
use.
Do you agree with this?
YES
NO
If you say NO, what would be better?
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THEME 1: Enhancing the accessibility of the public transport
network
This is our idea to improve the accessibility of the public transport
network by trying to make the buses and trains operate better
across the country.
Do you agree?
YES
NO
Do you have anything else that you would like to tell us on this
idea?
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THEME 2: Improving the accessibility of the wider transport
network
This idea is aimed at improving the accessibility of the wider
transport network. We aim to deliver this theme by improving the
areas where you can walk and look at ways to make integrated
transport better.
Do you agree?
YES
NO
Do you have anything else you would like to tell us about this idea?
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THEME 3: Enhancing the customer experience
This idea is aimed at improving how passengers travel on buses
and trains. We will look at how those who provide transport
services look after their customers and to see if we can make your
journey better by using new technology, such as on your mobile
phone, or by helping to train you to use public transport.
Do you agree?
YES
NO
Do you have anything else you would like to tell us about this idea?
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THEME 4: Enhancing the accessibility of information
This theme is aimed at improving how to find out how best to travel
on buses and trains. We aim to improve travel information such as
timetables, websites that you may use to find out bus times, its
availability in other ways or using new ideas such as providing
information through your mobile phone.
Do you agree?
YES
NO
Do you have anything you would like to tell us about this idea?
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THEME 5: Working with other groups within the transport area
This theme is aimed at improving working with other organisations
that help us run our transport services here which help all our
users. We aim to deliver this theme by looking at new ways to
meet with these organisations and agree ways to make
improvements to help make our transport services work better.
Do you agree?
YES
NO
Do you have anything else you would like to tell us about this idea?
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Action Plans
We are going to make an Action plan to help us deliver the new
Accessible Transport Strategy.
Have you any ideas on what actions
would make travel easier for you?
Please tell us?
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When we have gathered all of the responses together, do you want
us to contact you and tell you what we actions we plan to take?
If so, please provide your e mail address or else your name and
address.
E Mail Address:
Name:
Address:
Postcode:
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Pictures by: Photosymbols and Valuing People clipart,
DRD and Translink
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