Celebrating International Day of People with a Disability
Celebrating International Day of People with a Disability
Our network is for everyone, and we recognise the importance of listening to and working with people with disability.
Our Accessibility Reference Group, made up of nine passengers with lived experience of disability, plays a key role in meeting our accessibility and inclusion goals. We talk to our members openly about initiatives impacting the network, including train and station design, and staff procedures.
In the lead up to International Day of People with Disability (3 December), we celebrated the contribution of our Accessibility Reference Group, along with the work of Accessibility Reference Groups at V/Line, Yarra Trams and Kinetic.
Chair of Metro’s accessibility Reference Group, Stephen Jolley, spoke about the progress that is steadily being made across the Metro network, including new and upgraded stations and improved staff training.
Stephen reflected on Metro’s commitment to accessibility, ‘The ARG has met with so many different teams within Metro over the last year, from disruptions planning to community education,” he said.
Laura Edwards, Metro’s Accessibility and Inclusion Manager said, ‘This was a perfect time to acknowledge the work of the Accessibility Reference Groups, and to highlight the importance of co-design and consultation with passengers with disability. We regularly collaborate with other Victorian public transport operators, and it was great to get together to reflect on the progress we have made – and to consider the work we still have to do.’
Guests also learnt about Travellers Aid’s ‘Travelling in the Shoes of Others’ workshops, which are designed to improve disability awareness by people working in public transport.
Visit our website to learn more about Metro’s Accessibility Action Plan, which sets out our accessibility and inclusion vision for the network and our workplace.