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500 signatures reached
To: The Minister for Infrastructure, Liz Kimmins
Open Letter: Introduce free travel for Disabled people now
We, the undersigned, represent Disabled people, Disabled people’s organisations, allies and advocacy groups. We are joining activists from the Smart Pass Equality Campaign and HalfFareUnfair in calling on the Minister for Infrastructure to make the current half fare travel concession a free concession for all eligible disabled individuals across Northern Ireland.
For the last two decades Northern Ireland has been the only part of Ireland and Great Britain that does not have free travel for Disabled people on public transport. Instead most Disabled people here have access to a half fare concession on single fares, something that is often more expensive than other ticketing options. This inequality in provision in Northern Ireland is unacceptable and change is long overdue.
For the last two decades Northern Ireland has been the only part of Ireland and Great Britain that does not have free travel for Disabled people on public transport. Instead most Disabled people here have access to a half fare concession on single fares, something that is often more expensive than other ticketing options. This inequality in provision in Northern Ireland is unacceptable and change is long overdue.
Why is this important?
We are inviting people and organisations to sign the open letter below calling for Liz Kimmins, the Minister for Infrastructure, to introduce free travel for Disabled people without further delay. The current half fare concession is both ineffective and unfair.
Making this change will address a long standing inequality for Disabled people in Northern Ireland and help to make travel more accessible and affordable for many.
Dear Minister Kimmins
We support the introduction of free transport concessions for Disabled people in Northern Ireland
We, the undersigned, represent disabled people, disabled people’s organisations, allies and advocacy groups. We are joining activists from SPEC and HalfFareUnfair in calling on the Minister for Infrastructure to make the current half fare concession a free concession for all eligible disabled individuals across Northern Ireland.
Access to travel is essential
Accessible transport and travel are essential for disabled people to live our lives with dignity, independence and on an equal basis to others. Despite recent improvements, disabled people still face multiple barriers to travel and make 44% fewer journeys than non-disabled people. The government must do more to remove the barriers that exclude us, including reducing the cost of travel.
Northern Ireland is an outlier around travel concessions
Northern Ireland is the only the part of the UK and Ireland that does not offer disabled people free travel concessions. The disparity in travel concessions available to disabled people in Northern Ireland and every other part of these islands is unacceptable and change is long overdue.
The current scheme fails to address cost as a barrier
Most disabled people here can only avail of a half fare concession on single tickets, a concession that offers minimal savings or some cases costs more than other ticketing options. Disabled people and their families are more likely to live in poverty than non-disabled people and we have been particularly impacted by the cost of living crisis. The current half fare concession clearly fails in the stated aim of Scheme, addressing the social exclusion experienced by disabled people.
Our ask
The current half fare concession for disabled people is both unfair and ineffective. Making it a free concession would be a major step forward, addressing a long-standing inequality between disabled people living here compared to other parts of these islands. A relatively small investment by the government will have a significant impact on the lives of disabled people and will reduce costs for other parts of Government.
We urge you as Minister for Infrastructure, and the entire Executive, to act now to fix a scheme that doesn’t work for disabled people, unlocking greater freedom for us to travel, to participate and to live on an equal basis with others.
Sincerely,