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Self Advocate, Damian Paterson, shared his experiences of accessing public transport when he took part in Metro Trains Q & A for Passenger Week.
On the 2nd of October I was invited by VALID to participate in a questions and answers (Q & A) session on accessibility and access for Metro trains. I had worked with VALID before. They are advocates for people with a disability. The Q&A session was at Metro Trains Head Office in Docklands and we arrived by taxi early and met all the other participants over lunch.
After some setting up time, I spoke about my experiences with metro trains.
My main concern is that there is not enough time from when the train stops and starts. Twenty seconds is not enough time for people with disabilities, especially vision impairment, to get on and off the trains.
I talked about the time that I fell over on the train when I was trying to sit down.
Michelle, the facilitator of the Q & A, asked about why I love trains. I love the sound of the train.
If you are interested in developing your self advocacy skills, email VALID’s Self Advocacy Coordinator, Rick Ruiu or call 03 9416 4003.
