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Listen to this programmeFactsheet of this programmeTranscript of this programme Print this page FactsheetIN TOUCH FACTSHEET17/03/2009 WEEK 11 CONTENTS PROGRAMME ADDRESS.. 1 DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE.. 1 LONDON TRAFFIC.. 3 ANDY TAYLOR TRIBUTE.. 3 GENERAL CONTACTS.. 4 PROGRAMME ADDRESS IN TOUCH ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4 Room 5045 BH Broadcasting House London W1A 1AA Email: intouch@bbc.co.uk Web: www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/intouch.shtml DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE Guest: Steve Winyard, Head of Policy, RNIB For the past two and a half years the Royal National Institute of Blind People has been leading the fight for the so-called upper rate mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA). The upper rate of DLA is designed to cover the transport costs of disabled people. At the moment, it is only given to people who have severe physical restrictions on their movement, but the argument is being strongly made that a severe sight impairment has much the same effect, with the added disadvantage that unlike many people with physical restrictions, the visually impaired definitely cannot drive. So far the government, whilst believed to be sympathetic to the principle, has not given any indication that it will pay the money - an estimated 45 million pounds. An amendment was put to the Welfare Reform Bill which is about to enter its report stage in Parliament. RNIB's head of policy Steve Winyard told Peter what he thought its chances were. A DWP spokesperson said: "We understand the need to look at this important change to the Disability Living Allowance mobility component. We are working with the RNIB and others to look at how we can take this forward. However the Government is operating in an extremely difficult financial climate and this will also need to be taken into account." CONTACTS BENEFIT ENQUIRY LINE Telephone: 0800 88 22 00 Textphone: 0800 24 33 55 Web: A confidential freephone service for disabled people and carers. You can call the Benefit Enquiry Line and ask them to send you a claim pack. They can send the claim pack in Braille if required. The Benefit Enquiry Line is open 8.30 am to 6.30 pm Monday to Friday and 9.00 am to 1.00 pm Saturday. Or visit website below to make a claim online: DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE RNIB 105 Judd Street London WC1H 9NE Helpline: 0303 123 9999 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) Tel: 0207 388 1266 (switchboard/overseas callers) Web: The RNIB provides information, support and advice for anyone with a serious sight problem. They not only provide Braille, Talking Books and computer training, but imaginative and practical solutions to everyday challenges. The RNIB campaigns to change society's attitudes, actions and assumptions, so that people with sight problems can enjoy the same rights, freedoms and responsibilities as fully sighted people. They also fund pioneering research into preventing and treating eye disease and promote eye health by running public health awareness campaigns LONDON TRAFFIC Guests: Tom Pey, from Guide Dogs; Kulveer Ranger, London Mayor’s Director of Transport Policy London’s mayor Boris Johnson has declared his intention to speed up the capital's traffic flow; one of the ways he plans to do it is to shorten the time allowed to cross the road on so-called "controlled crossings". The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association says these reductions could remove as much as six seconds from the crossing time, and they believe such reductions could put blind people, particularly those with less confidence, in considerable danger. Disability Now Editor Ian McCrae went to visit one of the crossings and assess the implications. CONTACTS RNIB 105 Judd Street London WC1H 9NE Helpline: 0303 123 9999 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) Tel: 0207 388 1266 (switchboard/overseas callers) Web: The RNIB provides information, support and advice for anyone with a serious sight problem. They not only provide Braille, Talking Books and computer training, but imaginative and practical solutions to everyday challenges. The RNIB campaigns to change society's attitudes, actions and assumptions, so that people with sight problems can enjoy the same rights, freedoms and responsibilities as fully sighted people. They also fund pioneering research into preventing and treating eye disease and promote eye health by running public health awareness campaigns THE GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND ASSOCIATION (GDBA) Burghfield Common Reading RG7 3YG Tel: 0118 983 5555 Email: guidedogs@guidedogs.org.uk Web: The GDBA’s mission is to provide guide dogs, mobility and other rehabilitation services that meet the needs of blind and partially sighted people. BRAKE PO Box 548, Huddersfield HD1 2XZ Gen: 01484 559909 Helpline for road crash victims: 01484 421611 Email: brake@brake.org.uk Brake is a national road safety charity with two aims:
ROADPEACE PO Box 2579 London NW10 3PW Helpline: 0845 4500 355 (7 days from 9am to 9pm) Email: info@roadpeace.org RoadPeace offers advice, information and emotional support services to people in the UK who have been injured in road crashes, and to the families whose loved ones have been killed or injured in road crashes. They act as a monitor for road victims’ rights and the quality of service entitlements; act as an advocate for road victims’ concerns and needs and lobby for minimum national standards of collision investigation and provision of medical treatment. ANDY TAYLOR TRIBUTE The programme remember the life of Andy Taylor, who was killed two weeks ago at London Bridge station. Andy ran a company which found visually-impaired people jobs, and had appeared on In Touch. Reflections came from Graham Page, Liz Cooke, and regular In Touch contributor Tom Walker. GENERAL CONTACTS RNIB 105 Judd Street London WC1H 9NE Helpline: 0303 123 9999 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) Tel: 0207 388 1266 (switchboard/overseas callers) Web: The RNIB provides information, support and advice for anyone with a serious sight problem. They not only provide Braille, Talking Books and computer training, but imaginative and practical solutions to everyday challenges. The RNIB campaigns to change society's attitudes, actions and assumptions, so that people with sight problems can enjoy the same rights, freedoms and responsibilities as fully sighted people. They also fund pioneering research into preventing and treating eye disease and promote eye health by running public health awareness campaigns. HENSHAWS SOCIETY FOR BLIND PEOPLE (HSBP) John Derby House 88-92 Talbot Road Old Trafford Manchester M16 0GS Tel: 0161 872 1234 Email: info@hsbp.co.uk Web: Henshaws provides a wide range of services for people who have sight difficulties. They aim to enable visually impaired people of all ages to maximise their independence and enjoy a high quality of life. They have centres in: Harrogate, Knaresborough, Liverpool, Llandudno, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Salford, Southport and Trafford. THE GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND ASSOCIATION (GDBA) Burghfield Common Reading RG7 3YG Tel: 0118 983 5555 Email: guidedogs@guidedogs.org.uk Web: The GDBA’s mission is to provide guide dogs, mobility and other rehabilitation services that meet the needs of blind and partially sighted people. ACTION FOR BLIND PEOPLE 14-16 Verney Road London SE16 3DZ Tel: 0800 915 4666 (info & advice) Tel: 020 7635 4800 (central office) Web: Registered charity with national cover that provides practical support in the areas of housing, holidays, information, employment and training, cash grants and welfare rights for blind and partially-sighted people. Leaflets and booklets are available. NATIONAL LEAGUE OF THE BLIND AND DISABLED Central Office Swinton House 324 Grays Inn Road London WC1X 8DD Tel: 020 7837 6103 Textphone: 020 7837 6103 National League of the Blind and Disabled is a registered trade union and is involved in all issues regarding the employment of blind and disabled people in the UK. NATIONAL LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND (NLB) Tel: 0161 406 2525 Textphone: 0161 355 2043 Email: enquiries@nlbuk.org Web: Trustees from the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) and the National Library for the Blind (NLB) have agreed to merge the library services of both charities as of 1 January 2007, creating the new RNIB National Library Service. EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HELPLINE (England) Freepost RRLL-GHUX-CTRX Arndale House Arndale Centre Manchester M4 3EQ 0845 604 6610 - England main number 0845 604 6620 - England textphone 0845 604 6630 - England fax Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 9:00 am-5:00 pm; Wed 9:00 am-8:00 pm (last call taken at 7:45pm) EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HELPLINE (Wales) Freepost RRLR-UEYB-UYZL 3rd Floor 3 Callaghan Square Cardiff CF10 5BT 0845 604 8810 - Wales main number 0845 604 8820 - Wales textphone 0845 604 8830 - Wales fax Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 9:00 am-5:00 pm; Wed 9:00 am-8:00 pm (last call taken at 7:45pm) EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HELPLINE (Scotland) Freepost RRLL-GYLB-UJTA The Optima Building 58 Robertson Street Glasgow G2 8DU 0845 604 5510 - Scotland Main 0845 604 5520 - Scotland Textphone 0845 604 5530 - Scotland – Fax Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 9:00 am-5:00 pm; Wed 9:00 am-8:00 pm (last call taken at 7:45pm) DISABLED LIVING FOUNDATION 380-384 Harrow Road London W9 2HU Tel: 0845 130 9177 Web: The Disabled Living Foundation provides information and advice on disability equipment. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is not responsible for external websites General contacts Back to top TranscriptIN TOUCHTX: 17.03.09 2040-2100 PRESENTER: PETER WHITE PRODUCER: CHERYL GABRIEL White Good evening. Just how long is long enough to cross a road safely? And heartfelt memories of someone whose life really did make a difference. But first some stop press news from Westminster. This evening the Welfare Reform Bill is being debated in Parliament, including an amendment which would give the higher rate mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance, worth almost £30 a week, to some blind people. Well for the past few hours it's been debated, rumours have been whizzing around all day, we're hoping to go to Steve Winyard, head of RNIB policy, at the end of the programme to bring us the very latest news. But first: London's Mayor Boris Johnson has declared his intention to speed up the capital's traffic flow and one of the ways he plans to do it is to shorten the time you have to cross the road on so-called controlled crossings. The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association says these reductions could remove as much as six seconds from the allowed crossing time and they believe such reductions could put blind people, particularly those with less confidence, who move less quickly, in considerable danger. Many individuals agree. Well we've asked Ian Macrae, a regular contributor to the programme and editor of Disability Now, to go to a crossing that he uses quite a lot near his work, a bit of problematic one. So Ian, how did you get on? Macrae Well before getting to that I'd just say, Peter, that Boris has us all believing that having a pop at him is kind of like shooting fish in a barrel but even I did a bit of a double take when this story landed on my desk. So I took a walk out this morning in the sunshine, as you say, to a crossing close to my office. I'm standing at the crossroads of Caledonian Road and Market Road in North London and just to show the depth of research that I've done for this programme I've travelled about - ooh 20 metres from the front door of where I work and found my first pedestrian crossing which I'm now going to attempt to cross. So I'm just going to press the button. Now I can see a bit so I tend to know when the figure has gone from red to green, which I'm waiting for it to do now. Okay it's gone green, I'm stepping out into the road now, I'm looking at the light on the opposite side of the road and it's gone out and I'm about halfway across the road, still walking, I've now reached the other side of the road. So you can tell how quickly that light went out on that crossing as I was crossing it. Could it be any faster? White Right, so your point would be that's before the changes have been made and you were given - still given the hurry up. Macrae Yeah and I'm relatively spry, I'm thinking of the 75% of visually impaired people who are over the age of 75, I don't know is Boris hoping to perhaps extend the Paralympic team into older age groups by getting people to do a bit of training by using their local pedestrian crossings? I also have to say that this is a crossing at a crossroads and I was crossing the narrower of the two roads, so what would have happened if I'd gone across the wider bit of the crossing I kind of hesitate to think. White Okay, well Ian thanks for that. To discuss the implications of the plans a little further I'm joined by Tom Pey, from the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and by Kulveer Ranger, who is the Mayor's director of transport policy. Tom, first of all, we know that you're unhappy about these moves but what's the evidence that it will be dangerous, I mean you can't be suggesting that the Mayor wants to get his blind constituents run over, so what evidence do you have of the risks? Pey Well we've assessed the average speed at which a sighted person walks across the road, that evidence is known to the Department for Transport and to road traffic planners and there simply isn't enough time to shave time off and if you add the added disadvantage of having to wait until you assess the beam and whether or not the traffic has actually stopped if you can't see or find the revolving cone and assess if the traffic has stopped there just simply wouldn't be enough time. And the other thing is that organisations such as ours was simply not consulted and if we were we would have been able to advise the Mayor's office on just how ludicrous this type of thing is to blind and partially sighted people. White Let me bring in Kulveer Ranger. You've heard the reservations - and they're obviously fairly powerful reservations - so what are the reasons for this? Ranger Peter, firstly can I just say that on behalf of the Mayor and TFL safety is the number one priority and that's key to all people who use the road network, be they pedestrians, be they partially sighted or disabled people or people who are using motor vehicles. So safety is our number priority. But what we've actually been doing - and I think I was listening intently to Ian's research there on Caledonian Road, but it actually highlighted a very serious point that halfway through crossing the road he was in the blackout period between the lights when you don't really know what is going on, there's a period of uncertainty and a certain sense of panic can also happen if you're in the middle of the road and you think ah how much time have I got left. And this is why one of the things that we're proposing to the Department for Transport to trial in the first instance is the use of a pedestrian countdown and that would actually define that period, it would provide an amount of time - again within DFT guidelines, that is how much time there should be for an average person to cross the road depending on the distance it is and where it is ... White But you ... Ranger ... so that time is clear to those people using it so they can cross and feel safe about crossing. White But you are saying, nonetheless, that the amount of time that is going to be given to cross the roads will be less on some of these crossings and what's being suggested by our contributors is that there isn't enough time at the moment. So I understand the point you're making about the blackout time but isn't it just a more simple matter that the crossings times aren't long enough anyway? Ranger I think there's two things here. One it is about removing that uncertainty. Now the second thing about the amount of time. All we're trying to do is look at the traffic lights and we are reviewing all the traffic signals and in the 150 that have been amended since last July we've actually found that some - there has been some additional time that could be given back in terms of ensuring that traffic flows for longer but in some - in about 40 instances we've actually provided more time for the pedestrian. So there's a balance here. Sometimes there is more time going to the pedestrian, sometimes there's more time going to traffic only where it's appropriate and fundamentally only where it's safe. White What about Tom's point about consultation - I mean because wouldn't the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, amongst others, be the obvious people to consult? Ranger I think Tom is absolutely right there and we are going to be consulting with everybody. In fact one of the first things that I did earlier this year, on the 8th January, was actually meet at the Voluntary and Community Sector Forum we held at City Hall, we had Transport for All, Age Concern, London's Blind and Visually Impaired Forum, as well as 15 other organisations attending. Now that's just a first discussion piece because at the moment we don't have any definitive plans. We are developing the new Mayor's transport strategy, that will be out this summer for full consultation to everybody who's a key stakeholder in these matters. And then I've also taken on board an action that I will be meeting with a variety of groups and particularly Guide Dogs for the Blind, to discuss things such as traffic light phasing, pedestrian countdown and shared space. White Tom Pey, are you reassured by that and what do you most want to hear from Kulveer and the Mayor? Pey I'm absolutely reassured that decisions on shared space for places like Exhibition Road have not now been cast in stone and that the Mayor is going to listen to the 27 organisations that say it is a bad idea. And I'm really assured that we're going to sit down and talk about traffic lights and about consistency of regulations in the street environment. I have to say that we have one chance to make London an iconic city of accessibility for all people, especially those who are blind and partially sighted and have other disabilities, and if we miss this opportunity for 2012 then I think the Mayor will have done London and the United Kingdom a great disservice. And we at Guide Dogs and indeed the 27 national charities in the coalition would really welcome the opportunity to sit down face to face with the Mayor, we did write to him before and request a meeting, because what we want to do is find solutions not to be obstructive. White Ian Macrae, your early morning crossings - are you going to be anymore relaxed about them in view of all this? Macrae Look it's all well and good talking about - I find myself in the blackout zone, I'm a pedestrian I don't understand these things, I want to get across the road and feel safe. I already know that as soon as that amber light starts flashing, from the motorists point of view, many of them have got their foot on the pedal and are getting ready to either go or have already gone. To shave the time still further will encourage motorists to go sooner than they are now, it makes no sense. White I want just to go back to Kulveer for one final point. I'm slightly puzzled about one thing that you seem to be suggesting that what we actually want is an element of consistency and for people to know what's happening but you've also suggested that it depends on each individual crossing - you can't really have both of those can you? Ranger We want to remove uncertainty so people feel safe as well as are safe when they're crossing the road but obviously each road crossing is dependent on the flow of traffic in that area, the distance between the two sides of the road, so that's where you have differing amounts of time available. There is a huge opportunity here - and I share this view that Ian has mentioned there - because we mustn't forget that the Olympics is also the Paralympics and we are going to have many disabled and partially sighted people from all over the world coming to London and we bear that in mind, that's at the top of our agenda when we consider these things. And it is a responsibility that at this point when we seek to make changes, when we seek to make improvements we listen to all the people who have a keen interest in this and will be affected by it. And we understand and get the right solutions so we have an improving built environment but one that's designed and implements options that are safe and accessible for all the users. White Okay, well I suspect the blind and partially sighted people who live here at the moment probably are more concerned about that than they are about people who might come in 2012. But Kulveer Ranger, Ian Macrae and Tom Pey thank you all very much indeed. Now we rarely carry obituaries on In Touch, on the practical grounds that in a very short programme if you start where do you stop. But occasionally your reactions to a death is so strong that we have to listen. That's what's happened in the case of Andy Taylor who was killed at London Bridge Station three weeks ago. Andy ran a company which specialised in finding solutions to access problems, he was passionate about helping blind and partially sighed people find work and 60% of his own workforce had a disability. Friends and people he'd helped felt strongly they wanted to mark his death publicly. Here are some reflections from Graham Page, Liz Cooke and first of all regular In Touch contributor Tom Walker. Walker Lively, witty, entertaining, bright, clever, intelligent - you just can't even begin to explain in a couple of minutes what Andy meant to me and to do justice to him. He lived life in the fast lane. He had his toe to the floor and just sailed along at incredible speed, getting things done, helping disabled people which was his passion. Cooke He had so many friends, everybody would think he was their special friend but that was what Andy was like. And I think that the reason is that Andy always had time for people, even when he was very busy indeed, if you rang him up and said Andy, I've got a bit of a problem, he would say, okay what is it and he wouldn't say well if you're quick because I'm busy. I'll never leave a mate out in the cold, is the way Andy looked at life. Page Andy was helpful and very kind and generous, is the only way I can describe it. When I moved to London, because he did put me up, I dossed down on the floor I suppose, he would say, and I'd been with Andy going out and getting to know London a bit, was something that I'll always remember because I'd never spent any time in London before. And I really remember Andy for that. There's always things to do, anything from going to the pub and maybe occasionally a bit of theatre as well if you're lucky. Walker My memories of him are just so many - the holidays we went on, the nights out which would often culminate in a singsong. Great fun. Whenever he went on the karaoke he always singed up as Jimmy Johnny. And we went to Tenerife about some 10 or 11 years ago and we went in hundreds of bars and did one song and then came out again and it was just great because the local radio station started to talk about it and said who is this Jimmy Johnny character anyway. It was just absolutely fantastic, it was just so, so funny. Every time now there will be a group of blind people together there will metaphorically be an empty seat which will be Andy. Cooke He was very angry about all the wasted talent there was among blind people because they never got any access technology. If you don't have a job, you don't get it. Page Andy was my boss up until he died, I'd do access to work assessments for access made easy and Andy gave me a chance to show what I could do. He'd help people to put themselves forward to the employer in the best possible light by going along with them maybe or helping explain to an employer how blind people can do things like - how a blind person could possibly do a job in an office because many employers just assume that you can't. He was always very interested in focusing on what a person could do. He was extremely positive. Walker He's an inspiration to blind people when you look at what he did and what he achieved. I just think that for people like me and for all of his friends, many friends actually, his death just leaves a massive, massive void in our lives which certainly in my case I don't think will ever be fully filled. Cooke They say that nobody's irreplaceable but there are some people who are irreplaceable and when you lose them their loss is - well you just can't fill a place that Andy had. White Liz Cooke ending that tribute to Andy Taylor. Andy occasionally took part in this programme and we'd like to extend our condolences to his family and his many friends. And he almost certainly would be taking an interest in the debate that is going on tonight about welfare reform. Steve Winyard, as I said at the beginning of the programme, head of policy for the RNIB, has been following the debate and he joins me now. Steve, what's the latest news? Winyard Well Peter it's fantastic news. Just about the time that In Touch went on air minister Jonathan Shaw announced that the government is going to extend higher rate mobility component for DLA to people with severe visual impairment, people with severe sight loss. It's fantastic news. There was very strong support from across the House, a lot of enormously positive speeches, David Blunkett made a fantastically powerful speech in favour, Sir John Butterfill, a long time supporter of the campaign, he spoke. White Steve, can we spell out the nitty gritty of what this is going to mean? How many people will benefit and to the tune of what sort of money? Winyard It will benefit around 26,000 people and at a cost - an annual cost of around £40-47 million. White And do we know how eligibility is going to be decided, presumably on the basis of severity of visual impairment? Winyard That's right. The categories have been set out by government in - in letters and in parliamentary answers and basically yes it'll be people with a severe visual impairment. So it'll be not everyone who's registered blind, it'll be 26,000 out of the 56,000 people who currently get the lower rate mobility component. White And do you know when it'll be introduced? Winyard It's 2011, would be the date that's been - talked of. And the cost of introducing it is put at £12 million because obviously everyone who is - who is registered blind and who may meet these new criteria would need to be assessed. White Just very briefly ... Winyard ... that detail - in a sense that detail has not fully been worked out. But the important news is that the primary legislation that we always needed is being enacted. The '92 act is being amended so that people with severe visual impairment will be able to claim the higher rate. White And you must be very thrilled I should think? Winyard It's fantastic news Peter. But it does reflect - and members in the House kept talking about the strength of the campaign, they kept talking about how many constituents, how many blind people had been in touch, how many local societies had been in touch ... White Steve I must stop you there, you've obviously had an exciting day. But that is it for today. If you'd like to add your comments to anything you heard call our action line on 0800 044 044 or you can e-mail us. There'll be a podcast of tomorrow's programme. From me, Peter White, my producer Cheryl Gabriel and the team, goodbye. Back to top |
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