Mark is strongly backing Guide Dogs’ Talking Buses campaign. He has signed a Parliamentary Motion calling for the introduction of audible and visual announcements on buses to assist passengers who are visually impaired or have hearing difficulties. Click here for the motion.
 
Mark commented:
 
“Many people with a visual or hearing impairment depend on public transport but identifying their stop can be difficult. Introducing next stop and final destination announcements on buses would do a lot to increase their independence.
 
“New trains already do this so it is practical and we should do all we can to make it as easy as possible for people with a visual or hearing impairment to get to work, go shopping or have a social life just like anyone else.”
 
Mark has been active in the past in supporting measures to increase the independence of disabled people. For instance, he was one of the MPs who fought for a change in the law last year which extended the higher rate of Disability Living Allowance to visually impaired people. This gave them an extra £1,500 a year to help with independent travel. For more on this, click here.
 
New trains are legally obliged to have these announcements. Guide Dogs’ Talking Buses campaign is calling for buses to be treated in the same way.
 
People would know that clear and timely information would be available whatever bus they caught across the country. It would also be helpful for tourists as well as people with visual or hearing impairment.
 
Mark has campaigned very actively to safeguard and improve local bus services in Edinburgh North and Leith. To learn more about this click here.

Making buses more user-friendly could encourage more people to use them when travelling and better public transport is essential if we are to tackle global warming effectively and cut people’s carbon footprints.