Meeting date: August 31, 2023
Focus Group: My Voice Focus Group Meetings
Agenda Item
- Item 1.
- Greater Anglia: Proposed changes to ticket office Alan Neville Community Customer Engagement manger
- Item 2.
- Accessibility in the community outcome Emile.
- Item 3.
- Item 3. Any other business
Who attended
8
Self Advocates
1
Families and Carers
3
Key Organisations
2
Board Members
Guest Speakers
- Item 1.
- Alan Neville, Greater Anglia
Item 1. Greater Anglia: Proposed changes to ticket office
- You Said
- Will there still be staff at the station to help people with learning disabilities?
- Response
- Yes there will be staff available they will be out and about rather than behind glass. There will be conductors on board the intercity and regional train services who will be aware of people with disabilities.
- You Said
- There is a worry that people may not be able to find staff on platforms when they need them.
- Response
- Staff are getting more training on accessibility needs.
- You Said
- Sometimes other people are sitting in disabled areas on the trains.
- Response
- Conductors can intervene where needed and rail staff are trained to keep an eye out even when off duty. They do keep an eye out but it is a difficult one.
- You Said
- With travel training they have found that English isn’t first language for some of the people they have worked with and find the ticket machines hard to use.
- Response
- The Community Rail Partnership have been doing some work and training around this.
- You Said
- Will the ticket machines still take cash as some people budget and still like to see what they are spending.
- Response
- Yes, the machines will continue taking cash.
- You Said
- Someone said they had seen nothing about the train strikes.
- Response
- Any strikes are widely advertised on social media, posters and signs at stations as well as a high profile notice on the websites.
- You Said
- Is there a sticker in the window to let people know there is a ramp available for accessibility?
- Response
- Yes.
- You Said
- The story shows he persevered and he wasn’t going to stop until it made a change!
- Response
- –
- You Said
- We do need people who need change to keep telling us, it doesn’t have to be an argument, just ask the question.
- Response
- –
Item 2. Accessibility in the community outcome Emile
Item 3. Any other business
- Does support and care training include people with learning disabilities and their families on their training programmes.
- Will talk to ACS about helping people with travelling in London as feels it’s a life skill that is so important whether for tourism or hospital appointments.
- What services are available, some people with learning disabilities are carers themselves, advocacy can help.
Action plan
| Action | Date | Organiser | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| How to join the rail accessibility group | 31/08/2023 | Alan Neville to look into with James Bonehill | In progress |
| Contact London underground | 31/08/2023 | Ace Anglia | Complete |
| More information about bus passes | 31/08/2023 | Ace Anglia | Complete |
Minutes and Presentation: My Voice Focus Group 31st August 2023
pdf, 3 MB