Robert Brown fights for disabled passengers

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 9th Jun 2008

Glasgow Liberal Democrat MSP Robert Brown has today demanded that the Scottish Government listens to the voices of disabled passengers in Glasgow.

The call comes as Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance (SATA) launches a campaign to stop the Scottish Government from scrapping the Mobility and Access Committee (MAC).

The SNP announced plans to amalgamate MAC with the Public Transport Users' Committee (PTUC) as part of its so called "bonfire of quangos".

However there are now concerns that merging these two committees could lead to the needs and voices of disabled passengers not being properly heard by those in Government.

Robert Brown said:

"It's vital that the Scottish Government guarantees that the voices of disabled passengers will continue to be heard if it goes ahead and scraps the Mobility and Access Committee (MAC) - and, more importantly, puts in place proper arrangements to ensure this.

"I agree with the Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance that this move is short sighted.

"The Mobility Access Committee has clout from its official statutory role, and it brings a depth of knowledge and experience to policy making.

"The SNP Government want to amalgamate this important committee with the Public Transport Users' Committee (PTUC).

"It's obvious that, in a larger group which deals with many other key transport policy areas, the views of disabled users will struggle to be heard and prioritised.

"The Scottish Government must reveal how it plans to safeguard the views of the disabled passengers currently represented by MAC, or face marginalising the views of these vulnerable people in society."