HC Deb 05 March 1996 vol 273 cc142-3W
Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many national mobility centres there are in Great Britain; and how many of those are in Coventry. [18545]

Mr. Norris

There are 19 independent mobility centres in Great Britain. None of those is in Coventry, but the city does have a commercial centre which, I understand, offers a similar service. The Department publishes information on the service provided by all the centres in the UK in its "Guide to Services in the UK offering Advice, Information and Assessment to Disabled and Elderly Motorists". A new edition is being prepared and I will send a copy to the hon. Gentleman when it is available.

Mr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many disabled people require specialised transportation. [18541]

Mr. Norris

There are about 6 million disabled adults in this country, of whom around 4 million have a disability which is likely to affect their mobility. Many are already using accessible mainstream public transport while others rely on specialist door-to-door services. Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, regulations will be introduced requiring all future public transport to be fully accessible. This should mean that, increasingly, special services are seen as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, accessible public transport.

Mr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what plans he has to make accessible to disabled people information about transport suitable to their specific mobility needs; [18544]

(2) what representations he has received from organisations concerned with access to disability transport information. [18543]

Mr. Norris

The Department of Transport already provides a wide range of information to disabled people about accessible public transport services, special services and personal mobility. This information is generally available in print and alternative media including Braille, tape and large print.

A new edition of the Department's comprehensive guide "Door to Door—A Guide to Transport for Disabled People" will be published shortly.

All the Department's information is produced in consultation with disabled people, including our statutory advisers the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee.