Appendix I Making the Connections in Lancashire

In May 2005, Lancashire County Council hosted two workshops under the title 'Making the Connections Lancashire'. These workshops were intended to facilitate discussion of access problems among a wide range of delegates, from major providers to local users.

During the workshops, each delegate was asked to suggest at least three access problems that they were aware of.

Conference Report

Objectives

• To gather views from stakeholders of their understanding of major accessibility problems.
• To begin to develop problem statements
• To begin to draw together partnerships

Method

The conferences were held over two mornings and 65 delegates attended on one or both days. Sessions focused on access to health, food and active leisure on the first day, and learning, skills and employment on the second.  Approaches and techniques developed on the withinreach Action Learning Programme were used.

The format of the two mornings was:-

• Introductory Presentations
• Workshops, each with up to 12 delegates
  • Problem gathering using 'post-it' notes
  • Clustering around common themes
  • Analysis of clusters to start problem statement definition
• Closing Presentations

Results

261 problems were logged on the post-it notes. Although the two days had different themes, the problems noted were remarkably consistent on both days.The analysis has therefore merged the results from both days and several high level problems have become apparent (see Appendix for complete list).

Next Steps

Following the conference, the County Council has undertaken to review the nature of the highlighted problems. We plan to gather the evidence behind the issues with assistance from our partners. This will ensure that we are able to move towards developing appropriate Action plans with our partners.

A number of partners have already been identified to be involved in the early stages of the accessibility planning process.

List of Partners

Appendix -

Combined list of problems identified at the workshops

Location

• The location of services, especially new ones, tends to be out-of-town and uncoordinated with other facilities.
• Out-of-town sites, i.e. food, employment, tend to be poorly served by public transport limiting access to people without a car.
• Rural areas require models of service provision that differ from urban areas to prevent isolation and allow access to services.
• Length of journey to centralised facilities, i.e. hospitals, colleges, supermarkets, presents obstacle to non-car owners.
• Services/facilities should be accessible by communities within their settings thereby reducing the need to travel, e.g. outreach community centres, IT.
• Regional centres, e.g. in health, increase travel and can be difficult to access
• Different rules apply in different locations - the postcode lottery.

Cost

• The cost of public transport is too high, particularly for those on restricted incomes.
• The cost of some services is too high, i.e. sport and leisure, healthy food
• For the provider, getting and sustaining funding can be a problem. More financial assistance for subsidies will be required.
• Government targets tend to pay by results
• Localised services may be more limited in what they offer and be more expensive, i.e. food
• Public transport costs are increased by a lack of coordination among providers, i.e. 1 journey, 2 legs, 2 tickets.
• Transport costs result in young persons not participating in 16-19 education, being constrained in choice and to problems of retention

Timing

• Public transport needs to be more flexible, i.e. bus/taxi hybrid
• Appointment/start/course times are not coordinated with the public transport timetable, which makes attendance difficult for non-car owners
• Public transport needs to be better integrated to allow multi-function journeys, i.e. dropping the kids at nursery on the way to work
• A lack of direct routes means increased travel time
• Public transport is not timed for non 9-5 patterns leading to access problems for shift workers, evening classes, after-school activities etc
• Shift patterns make access difficult for people living in poorer areas who don't have cars.

Restricted Choice

• Access to fresh affordable food for people who have limited travel horizons is difficult
• Lack of childcare in the right place, i.e. at leisure centres
• Lack of access limits options, closes horizons and prevents progression.
• Information, advice and guidance isn't adequate, particularly for choices in education and employment
• Growth sectors do not reflect customer requirements - mismatch of skills to vacancies i.e. care sector, call centre, so 40% of vacancies not filled - Jobcentre Plus
• Pollution can inhibit walking and cycling
• Employers not supportive of non-car travel - nowhere to put wet clothes, store bikes, helmets etc.

Information

• There is a lack of information about public transport routes, times and fares.
• There is lack of knowledge of what alternatives and facilities are actually available - both transport and destination
• The information that is provided is not coordinated, not in plain English, in too small font size and not pictorial; it is not simple.
• No help available on bus - where to get off in relation to where need to go.

Customer/Client needs

• Customer care is poor - services are not provided around the needs of the user, but around the needs of the provider
• Particular groups have bigger access problems- those with disabilities, physical or mental health problems, those with luggage, the elderly.
• Disadvantaged groups struggle to benefit from information technology
• Disadvantaged groups are not accessing local job opportunities
• Physical access to public transport can be a challenge, i.e. wheelchair access, lack of induction loops
• Lack of facilities e.g. Induction loops
• The dignity and/or vulnerability of users must be considered, i.e. sports facilities, older children travelling alone.

Planning

• Transport tends to be an afterthought in provider planning. Accessibility must be part of the planning process
• Consultation must be effective, listening and involving to more than just the loudest voices
• Public transport infrastructure needs to be improved
• Agencies need to coordinate provision and work together to find new solutions - i.e. one-stop shops, extended schools
• Public transport needs to better integrated/synchronised
• There is real difficulty in identifying who owns problems
• The health impact of all policies must be assessed

Esteem/Attitude

• The 'car culture' must be challenged, i.e. public transport is for losers, public transport is too difficult.
• Healthy alternatives to the car must be better supported
• The image of public transport must be improved
• Provider's understanding of user's needs must be improved dramatically
• The attitude of public transport staff to the travelling public must be improved

Social Responsibility

• Individual needs may lose out against the corporate agenda, e.g. cost and profit vs. social and personal well-being.
• Commercial and public service remits sometimes clash, e.g. public transport, much of which is a business.
• Some transport choices are detrimental to the environment, as is broadening access by encouraging travel.
• Public bodies, i.e. the NHS, must acknowledge their corporate citizenship role, so that planning includes diversity and equality, social inclusion, community cohesion and community engagement
• Social costs of poor mobility
• Healthy food is not a priority for many families

Safety

• Walking to bus stops by indirect, unattractive and unsafe routes
• Lack of confidence when travelling, particularly when alone
• Safety and security on and waiting for public transport, particularly outside the normal working day
• Antisocial behaviour

Congestion/Car Parking

• Difficulties accessing sites, particularly at peak times, have big effects on staff, visitors/patients - late/missed appointments, stress, the impression of the organisation.
• Town centre congestion leads to longer journeys with time cost, pollution and sustainability.

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