From:
Maurice [ddasp@ozemail.com.au]
Sent:
Monday, 22 May 2000 10:52
To:
disabdis@hreoc.gov.au
Cc:
pdca@ozemail.com.au
Subject:
EU Buses, one week to the vote
To
David Mason at HREOC
Hi
David,
This
looks good for Europe while we seek an exemption in Australia. I
believe
this is relevant to the current
application for an exemption by
the
ORTA given that the agreement being forged is not just a few bus
companies,
but all countries in the European Union.
I
believe the relevance to this enquiry is that the countries in the
European
Union are giving an overall committment to accessible buses. In
Australia
we have a process whereby all State and Territory Governments
agree
to a set of Accessible Transport Standards and an associated timeline
to
comply, yet 1 senior government public servant can prevent the process
moving
forward.
A
major point of resistance in NSW has been arguements put forward by
operators
about the hilly terrain and major infrastructure changes to make
bus
stops accessible. Suddenly they want to operate 300 accessible buses
that
they can lease from everywhere. Something just does not add up! Where
is
the consistency and real committment?
Could
you please post this message as another individual submission
relating
to the ORTA application.
Regards
Maurice Corcoran
>Date:
Fri, 19 May 2000 11:35:53 +0900
>To:
ddasp@ozemail.com.au
>Subject:
EU Buses, one week to the vote
>
>BUSES
FOR ALL (Europe)
>Briefing, 18 May 2000
>
>One
week to go
>
>Next
Thursday, 25 May 2000, the Ministers from the 15 Member
>States
are due to vote on the Buses Directive, and the signs
>remain
good that they will vote for mandatory access,
>including
ramps or lifts, for every new urban bus in the EU.
>This
will be a significant victory for disabled people in
>Europe,
and is thanks to the efforts of many disability
>organisations,
individuals, and supportive politicians.
>
>A
recent trade magazine article for bus companies made a
>very
sensible recommendation - that any ramp or lift should
>always
be fitted to the front door of a bus, and not to the
>middle
door. This is because, if there is bad
parking near
>or
in the bus stop, it is easier to get the front of the bus
>near
to the pavement (sidewalk) compared with the middle
>door. It is also easier to communicate with the
driver.
>
>It
is a good sign of the times when the bus industry is
>thinking
the same way that we do.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------www.disabilitynet
.co.uk/groups/busesforall/index.html
with
>further
details.
>Please
feel free to copy this message to other people.