A Dumfries veteran is calling for a new national rail policy for visually impaired people and their companions.
Currently Scotland’s local authorities have different concessionary and companion schemes for train travel and the lack of consistency is leading to confusion.
Speaking out in support of a campaign by Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans’ Fair Rail Vision, 75-year-old George Graham said that, with ScotRail now in public ownership, he wants all local authorities in the country to work with the Scottish Government to make local travel networks “as accessible and affordable as possible” for blind and partially sighted people and their companions.
He said: “There should definitely be consistency in having a policy for free rail travel for visually impaired people and their companions across all the local authorities in Scotland.
“It’s all about blind and partially sighted people having mobility assistance to enable them to travel safely independently, whether that’s with a guide dog or a sighted guide.”
A petition has also been launched in support of a new national rail travel policy to be established which would enable free rail travel across Scotland for any holder of a National (Scotland) Concessionary Travel for Blind Persons card and their supporting companion – whether a guide dog or a person.
This would be the same as the current free bus travel scheme which allows a visually impaired person and their supporting companion free bus travel anywhere in Scotland.
Army veteran George, who is registered as sight impaired, said: “I can’t drive due to my sight loss, so I depend on buses and trains completely.
“Before I got my guide dog, Jaffa, if I was travelling any distance my wife had to come with me to support me.
“My guide dog is my eyes, and it’s the same for any blind or partially sighted person who needs a companion to be their sighted guide.
“The advantage of having someone with you to support and guide you when you’re travelling by train is
priceless.”
Craig Spalding, chief executive of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, said: “So many visually impaired people rely on the rail network to get around, and problems with accessibility create a real barrier to independent travel.
“Travelling with a companion can make a real difference for visually impaired people, providing support which is vital for many blind and partially sighted people to be able to use rail services safely and with
confidence.”
The petition can be signed online at www.change.org/p/free-rail-travel-for-blind-partially-sighted-people-their-companions-in-scotland.
