“No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?” – George Orwell, Animal Farm, Ch. 5
“All Animals are equal but some are more equal than others” – Animal Farm Ch. 10
For more than 16 years Excel Passenger Services has been taking disabled and other vulnerable passengers to and from their destinations. During this time, we have had the opportunity to experience the growth and recognition of Accessible Transport and the associated Rights of disabled passengers as recognised in Article 19 and 20 of the UN Convention of the Rights of Disabled People. We support the Roadmap 2025 and look forward to aligning our training aims and business development plans to reflect these priorities.
However, will The Equalities Act 2010 and its subsequent Codes of Practice, either through default or design, motivate and inspire people to treat their fellow citizens less badly? Will we achieve the objective of a more equal society by placing the burden of its execution and the shoulders of those not considered ‘protected’?
Of course, any civilised society must care for its vulnerable citizens and any attempt to safeguard services and provisions around that should be supported and encouraged. However, when scores of well intentioned, decent people can inadvertently fall foul of the very much needed Equalities Act 2010, will we have an Animal Farm type society on our hands?
I would even venture to say, that much of the good that has been done to make Britain a better society, did not in my opinion, come through force or the threat of force. It came through education, the reliance on decent people to stand up for their fellow citizens and investment in the public and voluntary sectors. It should also be acknowledged that not every person, however well intentioned, will be able to offer personal care to a severely disabled and neither should everyone be forced or legislated to – choice is the hallmark of a free and developed society.
However, what we should enforce is the premise that the Rights of those 9 protected characteristics should be safeguarded and upheld just as much as the Rights of everyone else. And if, people who should know and do better blatantly disregard those Rights, then the full impact of the Law should be felt. My experience over the years of working within Accessible and PHV transport is that most people feel sympathy for disabled people. However embedded within sympathy is also fear of
having a shared experience.
Excel’s training is designed to address these issues as well as equip staff with the necessary skills to work effectively with their disabled passengers. However, we are also aware that many well intentioned service providers can fall foul of the new legislation once cases get tested in court. The Act provides for redress and that’s welcomed. However if the intention of the Equalities Act 2010 is to make life better for the Protected Characteristics and by extension, wider society, are we risking alienation of the very people we are trying to include? Generally, research attests that if an experience is deemed unpleasant or unrewarding people tend to apply avoidance tactics and vice versa.
Our training programme is progressive and continual in that it inspires and motivates participants to want to understand and appreciate their clients better. It also provides a framework from which a bespoken transport solution can be developed to meet the needs of even the busiest transport office or demanding passengers. Our staffs and trainees are regularly praised for their passenger focused approach and willingness to go the extra mile to ensure journey comfort for even the most
challenging of disabled and other vulnerable passengers.
If transport is deemed to be among one of the most important accessibility tools, and the plan is to include PHV transport providers as one of the key deliverers of door to door transport, then Operators, self-employed drivers and telephonists /booking officers are most at risk of allegations of discrimination, even if their actions are well intended.
So how can we persuade wider society, and it is persuasion that is required to embrace this Act, as what Britain needs when Government cuts, recessions and good old fashion fear of poverty is currently permeating our society? So how can we create this more inclusive society?
Perhaps, if we are not deliberate, it might begin with the acceptance that – “All animals are equal but some are more equal than others”
