"Get disabled people moving"
08 June 2004
The Green Party today announced that they had the "best policies fordisabled people" and that they were campaigning to ensure that disabledpeople had access to all forms of transport.
The comments come from Dr Joseph Healy, who is disabled himself, and is aGreen Party disability spokesperson. They were made in response to a newsitem that showed a member of the Green Party parking in a disabled parkingbay.
Dr Healy who wrote the London Green Party's manifesto for disabled peoplesaid: "The Green Party apologises unreservedly for the incident. We arefully aware that non-disabled people using parking spaces reserved fordisabled people is a big issue. We would never advocate someone parking insuch a space even temporarily.
"However, the Green Party is the party with the best policies for disabledpeople. We have been campaigning for progress on disability rights on anumber of issues, including transport.
"Greens advocate equal rights for disabled people including access to allforms of public transport. We are pushing for a fully accessible transportsystem by 2020. Many disabled people currently have no choice in the form oftransport they take because they cannot use public transport.
Dr Healy, who is standing as a candidate in the European electionsconcluded: "Greens don't want to prevent disabled people from driving. Wewant them to use whatever form of transport that they find most accessible.We fully support disabled drivers.
Notes:
1. The Green Party launched a manifesto for disabled people, and their fullpolicy on disability rights can be found atpolicy.greenparty.org.uk
2. Interviews can be arranged both with Joseph Healy and with a disabledmember of the Green Party's "battle bus" team.
