Taxi Driver Online

Evening News (Edinburgh)

December 4, 2006, Monday

HEADLINE: Blind march on London to protest transport inequalities

BYLINE: LINDA SUMMERHAYES Health Reporter

BLIND and visually impaired people from the Lothians will join the largest ever blind rally at Westminster today, calling for the same benefits as wheelchair users.

People with sight problems often rely on taxis to get around and rally organisers believe they should be given extra money to help them with transport costs.

Around 20 protesters were expected to leave Waverley Station this morning and join around 500 campaigners in what is being hailed as the UK's biggest-ever protest by a group of blind people. Wheelchair users are currently eligible to claim Disability Living Allowance (DLA) worth GBP 43.45 per week while blind people are only eligible to claim GBP 16.50 per week.

Today's rally has been organised by the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB), which has estimated that the extra payments would cost the taxpayer GBP 61 million a year. John Legg, the director of RNIB Scotland, told the Evening News: "It's not surprising that blind people, who can't drive and often find public transport impossible, feel cheated by not being allowed to claim the same level of benefit as other disabled people.

"Many have become virtual prisoners in their own homes because the low level of benefit they receive doesn't cover the cost of taxis. "This cash shortfall leaves blind people, who rely on but often can't afford taxis, with much greater problems getting about than other disabled people.

"Many are missing out on job and learning opportunities, hospital appointments, visits to family, friends, shopping and even voting at elections." Among the protesters at Westminster today will be West Lothian mother-of-three Val McKeown, who has relied on her trained guide dog, Meg, for almost three years.

The 46-year-old has a genetic and degenerative eye condition called coloboma which means that she can see only out of the corner of her left eye. Ms McKeown works as an NHS administrator in Edinburgh and says she needs help with travel costs from her Broxburn home.

She is only able to claim the lower rate of DLA and return travel to her local train station costs GBP 12 a day. Attempts to travel by bus have ended in disaster because drivers forget to inform her when she has arrived at her destination. She said: "I am going to London to put pressure on the State to change their mind about giving visually impaired people the higher rate of mobility.

"We need this because, although we can get around, we still need assistance. It's discrimination because people in wheelchairs get the higher rate. "I have to pay GBP 12 a day to get a taxi to and from the station and, for me and others who need to rely on taxis, to get the higher rate would make such a difference."

Ms McKeown added: "The Government say they are trying to get disabled people to live independently and get a better quality of life and a higher rate of mobility allowance will help us to do that."

The protest comes after a survey of 300 visually impaired people found all had suffered an accident walking and more than half of these people had sustained injuries. Robert Ritchie of Musselburgh was planning to join the march because he believes the benefits system is unfair.

He has been left struggling for cash after a stroke three years ago left him partially sighted and no longer able to work as a taxi driver. The 57-year-old said: "Visually impaired or blind people often have even more trouble getting about than some people in wheelchairs. "I know there isn't an awful lot of money to throw about but we should be entitled to the higher rate.

"Since this happened to me, my life has change dramatically. I used to love driving and I can't do that anymore, and I have to rely on my wife or my son if I want to do every day normal things like shopping. "It feels as though you have to be dependent on someone else the whole time."
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