manual wheelchair and commuting 31 March 2011 at 5:18PM in Disability money matters 7 replies 839 views

TheNickster

Does anyone here commute to work daily using only public transport (ie no use of a car) and their manual wheelchair.

If so what regular difficulties do you encounter?

PlasticMoose

Hiya,

I don't commute using mine (not a daily user) but an issue that would really set me back if I had to is the damn bus ramps on London Buses. Lovely idea but my god that lip at the top makes it pretty much impossible for me to get on a bus without someone giving me a shove. However, that may well be something I just need more practice at (and more courage!).

GlasweJen

I don't commute but difficulties I imagine encountering are:

*not all buses are wheelchair accessible so there's no guarantee you will be able to get on the bus
*no guarantee that you're the only wheelchair user so you might not be able to get on the bus
*may need assistance applying the brakes when you get on the bus
*most buses make wheelchair users face backwards so may need help knowing which stop you're at and manoevering the wheelchair off the bus.

Are you eligable for access 2 work assistance in getting to work?

dmg24

OP, this is your third thread on this subject - I am sensing an agenda?

TheNickster

dmg24 wrote: »

OP, this is your third thread on this subject - I am sensing an agenda?

Absolutely, I was disabled at the age of 9 months by polio. I worked full time for over a quarter of a century and know full well the frustration and anger that having to use public transport to commute to work when disabled. I am shocked that the DLA mobility component could be withdrawn from manual wheelchair users.

Luckily I am now retired but if I was still working and had to do the journey to a low paid job without being able to afford to run a car would cause me considerable additional stress.

GlasweJen

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/Employmentsupport/WorkSchemesAndProgrammes/DG_4000347

TheNickster

GlasweJen wrote: »

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/Employmentsupport/WorkSchemesAndProgrammes/DG_4000347[/QUOTE


That does seem usefull but how well is it financed? Does it have enough money to really help, for example, all manual wheelchair users of working age.

But isn't the real problem that an employer would rather employ an able bodied person especially when the economy is struggling as it is at the moment.

GlasweJen

The idea isn't to hand disabled people a job on a plate, it's to help disabled people to overcome barriers to work.

As it's funded through the jobcentre the funding is very much there for anyone who manages to get a job and happens to have a disability. For equipment the employer can be asked to contribute but it's a % based on how many employees there are so tiny companies pay less (or nothing) than huge corporations who can't withdraw a job offer on the basis of needing to pay a few hundred pounds towards hearing equipment. Transport is always funded by the claimant rather than their company except where the company require transportation between sites as part of the job.