This year we worked with SCM communities across Britain to tell us what they cared about. What came out was that public transport in the UK is not fair. It excludes people who are disabled, many of whom are members of our community. We came together in art, poetry, and performance to create a video to ask decision makers to lobby for change, and include disabled people in the conversation. You can share this video with your local decision maker and MP to make a difference. Do this as your local SCM community, or as an individual. Add these words to your email/letter to strengthen the argument:
Dear [Insert name of MP]
We are writing on behalf of friends and members of the Student Christian Movement. We are a diverse group of progressive Christian students and graduates, many of whom have disabilities or are close to those who are. We believe that God created everyone with inherent dignity and worth.
Accessibility to transport in the UK is poor, and we refuse to leave our disabled members behind. This affects not only these members, but our community as a whole. It creates unnecessary hassle for disabled people. Trains and platforms are understaffed, which is only made worse by the low numbers of appropriately aid-trained staff. 30% of disabled people say that difficulties with public transport has reduced their independence (Motability Foundation: The Transport Accessibility Gap). Accessibility must be a norm, and not an exception. Slight inconveniences for someone able-bodied become huge barriers for those of us who are disabled; broken lifts, tickets only valid on off-peak trains, no guard to help with the ramps. The inconsistent timetabling and delays are especially difficult for people with mobility aid requirements, meaning they need more time to physically enter and exit trains.
This can impact ability to access employment, health, and fully partake in community life. This is isolating and stops those in our community who are disabled from living the flourishing life God intended. These are people; brothers, sisters, children, parents, aunties, friends. They want to travel with dignity and spontaneity from time to time. Unlike many of us, they cannot do all these things. Those of us who are disabled want to stop watching the clock and hoping to be accommodated - instead we want to all travel freely.
We are asking you to take actions to help make this happen. We want a full consultation with disabled people to ensure they can access public transport in the same way non-disabled people can. Accessibility should not be an afterthought: currently it is. Will you endeavour to take a stand for disabled people and make accessibility on public transport a priority?
In friendship,
[Insert Signature]