04/11/2003

Transport need of ethnic minorities highlighted

New guidance has been published today encouraging the transport industry to provide for the needs of ethnic and faith minorities.

The report features examples of best practice and suggests transport providers can meet the needs of different travellers by: providing timetables in different languages; providing additional bus services near places of worship; and increasing safety late at night for people such as shift workers.

Research also published today has found that many people from ethnic minorities feel deterred from using public transport due to language barriers and fears about personal safety. Over 2,000 individuals and 55 different groups from the taxi trade through to bus and train operators took part in the survey.

Transport Minister Tony McNulty said everyone was entitled to transport for accessing services, jobs, cultural, religious and leisure pursuits.

"Transport keeps communities together and if we are going to succeed in delivering it, we need to start by understanding what people think and what they want," he said.

"The guidance we are launching today is important and will help. We need the transport industry and local authorities and community groups to meet with one another, we need to find out about good practice and disseminate it."

(gmcg)

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