Disabled ‘becoming less independent’

Disabled people are becoming more dependent on other people to meet their transport needs, a new study suggests. Analysis of National Travel Survey data for England from 2007 to 2015 has found that travel by people with mobility difficulties fell by every significant mode of transport recorded except travelling “as a passenger in a car”. Report author David Hunter of Not for Profit Planning said: “The trends suggest that not only are disabled people travelling less often (as is the general population), but they are also becoming less independent, relying more on friends or relatives for lifts. The reasons for this aren’t clear, as public transport has become more accessible over this time. Further research aiming to understand the reasons for this would be useful.” Less travel, more dependence? Changing travel patterns of disabled people is available at http://tinyurl.com/ydbd5bq4