Opening of new business that converts motor vehicles for people with disabilities

31/8/99
Making transport more accessible for people with disabilities continues to be a major priority for the State Government, Transport Minister Murray Criddle said today.
Mr Criddle was speaking at the opening of Design and Innovation, a North Fremantle-based company that converts motor vehicles for people with a wide range of disabilities.

"It's a great pleasure to open a business that is combining creativity, technology and skill to solve everyday problems for people with disabilities," the Minister said.
"Transport was a major sponsor of the Transed 98 conference in Perth last year and at that conference I was able to see first-hand some of the ways of overcoming the many varied and complex problems people with disabilities have when they try to access our community.
"One of the most memorable images from that conference was of 17-year-old Simon Barber driving a specially adapted van inside the Burswood Dome.
"The intervening year has seen a car adapted for Simon's transport needs so that driving will no longer be a special experience, but an everyday thing for him."
Mr Criddle said the State Government was committed to easing the burden of people with disabilities and was demonstrating this in public transport.
"People with disabilities need ease of access and we are making great inroads in this area," he said.
"Transperth's new state-of-the-art buses have been designed with people with disabilities in mind, with a electric ramp which is controlled by the driver and a 'kneeling' feature bringing the floor of the bus closer to the kerb, making access easier.
"The new buses are first being introduced to the new Circleroute service and will soon make the Circleroute the first fully accessible suburban service in the Transperth system, providing access to major regional centres, universities and medical facilities without the need to travel through the central city.
"We have recently had five new fully accessible rail car sets introduced to the suburban rail network and a retro-fit program is also being developed for the existing fleet of 43 railcars.
"These initiatives are in addition to Perth's Central Area Transit, or CAT, system which have been providing Australia's only fully accessible CBD travel for the past three years.
"We have also ensured the expansion of the Maxi Plus taxi fleet, by tendering for 10 new licences recently."
Media contact: Doug Cunningham 9321 7333