Caibidil:
Focus on Accessibility and Inclusion
- As outlined in the Preliminary Equality Assessment Report, it is necessary to engage with diverse groups early on - there needs to be a clear equality-focussed strategy implementation plan with ongoing monitoring and evaluation.
- It is necessary to also consider socio-economic background, in addition to protected characteristics (age, gender, disability, civil status, member of the Traveller community, race, religious belief, family status), to ensure transport equity and to consider intersectionality, given that barriers to transport and mobility can compound people’s existing barriers to access of opportunity - to education, to employment, to amenities and to social interaction.
- So too should geographical location be considered when engaging with stakeholders.
- the Strategy aims to facilitate access to Dublin airport, despite the environmental damage air travel creates. It makes no reference to facilitating increased use of sea travel, for example by improved landside access for foot passengers at Dublin Port, Rosslare and maybe Dun Laoghaoire.
- Public transport is a public space which needs to be facilitated and protected. At its simplest this requires properly maintained public toilet facilties at mainline stations and major interchanges; enhanced security on DART and Luas and indeed on buses.