People with learning disabilities and autism have spoken out about the problems they have had with public transport to raise awareness of the issues they face.
This came as part of charity and service provider Brandon Trust’s annual 100 Voices conference in Bristol.
Among the speakers was Peter Martin, 31, of Dursley, Gloucestershire, a member of Brandon Trust’s consultative committee and North User Forum, who has a learning disability and has experienced problems when using public transport.
“I got bullied on the bus and it had a bad impact on me,” he said. “I think it is really important that we share these experiences with people and I hope it can help make a difference for others in the future.”
More than 200 delegates from across the UK attended the 100 Voices event at the BAWA Centre in Filton, which saw those supported by the Bristol-based charity have their say and share experiences through speeches, role plays and presentations on topics including disability hate and mate crime, bullying, internet safety and doorstep scams.
A main aim of the 100 Voices conference, now in its third year, is to give people with learning disabilities a voice and influence public opinion.
Brandon Trust’s chief executive, Lucy Hurst-Brown, said: “Brandon Trust need to raise awareness of these issues so we can make places safer for people with learning disabilities.
“As with previous conferences, we will take this matter forward to try to bring about positive changes in society.”
Conservative MP for Bristol North West, Charlotte Leslie, added: “Personal safety is particularly important for the disabled who are vulnerable and it is a problem we really need to tackle.”
