Championing a transport system fit for all
A transition to more sustainable transport can help improve people’s everyday lives, but only if done in an inclusive way. In this blog, Florence Grieve, our Inclusive Transport Advocate shares how she has been championing the transport needs of Bristol’s community of Disabled people.
A reliable local bus service with two wheelchair spaces on every bus, a safe space to store your bike, pavements that are clear from bins and parked cars, well placed and maintained dropped curbs and accessible train stations with connections across the city and beyond. These statements describe the transport system Bristol residents want to see, as set out in the Inclusive Transport Vision the Partnership published last year.
My role exists because there is still work to do to realise this Vision and make sure the transport system works for everyone across the city. I started as Inclusive Transport Advocate at Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership and Sustrans in September 2024. In this blog post I will tell you about my role, what I am up to and how you can get involved.
My role is part of the Climate and Disability programme which supports Bristol’s commitment to a just transition by working directly with Disabled people on local climate change action. This programme of work is part of the National Lottery funded Community Climate Action Project and brings together several strands of work, including my role. I advocate for sustainable transport (which includes public transport, walking, wheeling and cycling) which is accessible and safe for everyone.
In my first six months I have met lots of amazing individuals and organisations who are working towards, and campaigning for, more accessible transport in Bristol. I met members of People’s Voice who launched a campaign for the Disabled person’s bus pass to be valid 24/7. I attended the Climate and Disability Forum’s meeting. They were working to update the community climate action plan for Bristol’s community of Disabled people and at the meeting I attended, I got to hear their experiences and ideas about transport. I attended WESTACT’S Imagining the Future of Transport Event, where we exhibited the Inclusive Transport Vision at Sparks. Alongside other organisations and individuals, I have been bringing Disabled people’s perspectives to the attention of decision makers.
As well as continuing to listen to and amplify the voices of Disabled people, I am creating a toolkit to equip Bristol residents and communities with guidance of how they can engage in the transport system. It will provide information and know-how to influence and make positive changes in our neighbourhoods to support the shift towards sustainable transport and a more inclusive, safer city for all. The Inclusive Transport Vision describes what residents and community groups would like Bristol’s transport system to look like, and the toolkit will provide guidance on how they can get involved with making this a reality. To shape the contents of the toolkit, I led a workshop with community partners from cohorts one and two of the Community Climate Action Project.
Looking ahead, the election for the new West of England Combined Authority (WECA) metro mayor is being held on 1 May. WECA are the transport authority for the region, so the role of Mayor holds a lot of decision-making power on the future of transport in our region. Do you have ideas about how Bristol’s transport system can be improved? Do you want to share your views with decision makers in the West of England? Do you want to hear the West of England Combined Authority Mayoral candidates think about our transport system, and what they would do if they became Mayor?
Come along to the transport themed hustings organised by a coalition of transport related organisations for an opportunity to hear from the mayoral candidates themselves. It is being held on 2 April at Watershed and livestreamed online, tickets are free but please reserve your place:
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