Disabled people only go out on weekdays and in daylight…

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I am very lucky to live in an area with a few different community disability transport schemes which pick you up from your house and take you to your destination. These have a lift and space for an electric wheelchair unlike all the disabled taxi\’s I have seen. These schemes run Monday to Friday 9am-5pm in the summer and 9am-4pm in the winter.

I know funds are tight but I\’ve noticed a pattern of most disabled services being weekdays only and also only during day light hours. Do all disabled people have to be tucked up in bed with a hot coco by nightfall and must stay indoors all weekend as public places are likely to be busier?

This idea seems to of been absorbed both by those who run the schemes and also by the general public. I\’ve lost track of the amount of times I\’ve heard people complain about disabled people in shops at the weekend \’but they have had all week to go shopping when we were at work, why did they wait until it got busy?\’.

I have some news which may be shocking, some disabled people work, some like to go out at the weekend, some have partners and children and the biggest shock of all- we don\’t turn back into a pumpkin should we be out past nightfall!

There really needs to be a way for disabled people who rely on help with transport to be able to go out outside of designated times. Disabled people are entitled to enjoy a full life including an evening meal out, a weekend trip to the shops or theater and acceptance that we are just as entitled to be in a busy area as people who can walk!