Stagecoach Group supports Disabled Access Day

• Try a Bus / Train Days planned across the country
• Local awareness campaigns planned

Stagecoach Group will be joining hundreds of venues and companies across the UK from 10-12 March to help give people with disabilities greater confidence in using public transport.

As part of the second annual Disabled Access Day, Stagecoach companies will work to encourage disabled people, their friends and families to visit somewhere new and try public transport to get there.

Stagecoach bus and rail companies are joining over 300 venues that have already signed up to Disabled Access Day, with more than 1000 events planned nationally.

Activities planned by Stagecoach include:

• ‘Try A Bus Day’ events at a number of Stagecoach bus companies offering people with disabilities the opportunity to try the bus in an atmosphere free from pressure and time constraints
• A ‘Try a Train Day’ event hosted by East Midlands Trains to offer people with disabilities the opportunity to buy a ticket, board a train and travel onboard a service free from pressure and in a relaxed atmosphere
• Stagecoach bus companies taking part in a social media campaign to promote the event and launching poster campaigns to demonstrate how they can help passengers with disabilities

Stagecoach’s commitment to the day follows a range of investments made by its bus and rail companies to make services more accessible.

Stagecoach in South Wales has a fleet of 366 buses and has invested almost £30million in more than 260 new buses in Wales over the past decade. 

Stagecoach in South Wales Managing Director Nigel Winter said:  “We've invested almost £30million in new accessible buses in South Wales in the past decade but we know that building the confidence of people with disabilities in using public transport is about far more.

"It's also about the direct, face-to-face support that our bus drivers and other employees give to our customers. We want our buses to open up opportunities for people with disabilities rather than being seen as a barrier. As well as the huge investment we make in employee training, these transport taster days are part of our drive to make using public transport as easy as possible for everyone."

Euan’s Guide, the disabled access review website and app, is the lead sponsor of the day.

Paul Ralph, Founder of Disabled Access Day said, "The chance to try something new can have a sustaining and meaningful effect as new opportunities are unveiled. For me, and many disabled people, bus travel provides that important link between places, communities and people. Accessible bus services have the potential to make an enormous difference to people’s lives. I welcome the support of Stagecoach in helping promote the message of accessible bus travel during Disabled Access Day and the legacy it will leave."