'Raw deal for the disabled on Dial-a-Ride'

12 March 2010

DISABLED transport users in Havering are missing out on more than 25,000 journeys compared with their counterparts in a neighbouring borough, a local user's spokesman claimed.

Dial-a-Ride (DaR) - a free Transport for London-run service for the infirm - provided the extra journeys for its Barking & Dagenham members, and refused a lower percentage of requests from them compared with Havering, Michael Lloyd told the London Assembly's Transport Committee at City Hall last week.

These discrepancies, between April 2009 and January this year, were in spite of a "negligible" difference in the numbers of users in the two boroughs, Mr Lloyd, from Hornchurch, argued.

It is thought the Barking & Dagenham figures are so inflated because residents have been able to secure thousands of more regular trips - which once made are guaranteed unless cancelled by the user.

Meanwhile Havering users have been forced to rely on ad-hoc bookings - requests made the day before travel, which are not certain to be met.

During the meeting, Cllr Pam Light, Havering's champion for the over-50s, told the packed panel of pan-London councillors and transport chiefs, that the entire DaR system was just not good enough.

"We in the borough are very anxious to keep our older people active in the community," she said, "and Dial-a-Ride is thwarting us at every twist and turn."

One such member is wheelchair-user Olive Goodfellow, 83, from Hornchurch.

She recently applied to be taken regularly to Romford town centre every Saturday morning but was told by DaR there were no free spaces, and to re-apply in six months' time.

"When I do ring up the day before I'm told it's full - I was only able to go out about six times last year - going out on Saturdays is the only social outing I have during the week.

"I'm very upset about the whole thing because I can't go out. When you can't walk, Dial-a-Ride is your only means of getting out and being independent."

Mr Lloyd told the Recorder after the meeting: "There seems to be an overwhelming preference for the people of Barking & Dagenham by Dial-a-Ride and that is simply unreasonable.

"We all pay the mayoral precept and so the service should be equal and balanced across the whole of London.

"At the moment, eople just cannot seem to get regular bookings in Havering."

Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport spokesman and chairman of the London Assembly Transport Committee, said: "I have no criticism about the number of trips which are being provided to disabled residents in Barking and Dagenham, but I do think Dial-a-Ride should provide a similar service to all residents, wherever they live.

"For this to happen there needs to be a real improvement in the service that they provide to disabled residents in Havering."

A Transport for London spokesperson says that Dial-a-Ride is a demand-led service.

"Members can request as many trips as they wish and we do our best to schedule them.

"At the moment DaR is scheduling 94 out of every 100 trips requested.

"The services are not tied to particular boroughs, but are allocated across London according to demand.

"Barking and Dagenham has approximately 50 more members than Havering, but in 2009/10 they have made nearly 34,000 more trip requests, and therefore they do receive a higher number of journeys from Dial-a-Ride at present.

DaR is keen to work with Havering Council and local disability groups to encourage Havering residents to make more use of the service.

"Since June last year there has been an increase in resources available to North East London, including Havering, and we are trying our best to cut down on refusals.

"We are unlikely to ever be in a position where we will be able to schedule all the trips people have requested at the most popular times. However, where members are flexible we are often able to find a way to accommodate their requests.