Disabled people 'do not want red carpet treatment'

A Paralympic champion who has experienced her wheelchair being lost and broken on flights said disabled people should be able to travel without being "humiliated".

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, who lives in Stockton on Teesside, said she had also been wrongly blamed for a delayed flight when the captain told passengers it was "because of a wheelchair".

She is leading a new group of experts tasked with improving air travel for disabled passengers.

"Disabled people are not looking for red carpet treatment, they just want to be able to travel," Baroness Grey-Thompson said.

The government said everyone had the right to travel with dignity and that public transport should be accessible, safe and enjoyable for all.

Last month, it also announced that the 11-times Paralympic gold medal winner would head up The Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group.

Its aim is to make flying accessible for all "from booking to baggage claim".

She said: "I don't think people understand the humiliation of being wrongly blamed for a delay and having all the passengers scowling at you."

Chief executive of Disability North, Vici Richardson, said people feel like "second class citizens" when travelling on all forms of public transport.

Angie Stewart used to work in Newcastle city centre, but said she quit her job after repeatedly being left stranded at bus stops, even when the wheelchair space was empty.

"I don't know if the bus drivers just didn't want to get out of their seat and put the ramp down, but it seemed to happen more when it rained," Ms Stewart said.

"I was cold and wet but the doors would close on me and they'd just drive off."

Ms Richardson said many disabled people had to "beg for help" when using public transport.

She said things are slowly improving but real change is needed now.

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