Onboard the Norman Arrow
Having just returned from my summer holiday in France I’m delighted to hear that there are plans afoot to make travel more accessible. The European Union is looking to strengthen the rights of disabled passengers travelling by sea and inland waterways.
These new EU regulations are great news for us disabled folk.
In short there are now plans to:
- Require companies to design their new ships, ports and terminals with us in mind. There will be guidance about how to design inclusive environments that won’t unnecessarily exclude anyone.
- Provide assistance so we can check in, board and disembark (and staff providing this assistance should be trained in disability issues).
- Offer compensation payments when things go badly wrong.
- Introduce penalties for companies that breach the law.
Finally the proposed changes will also open doors for assistance dogs, yes they’re included too! Find out more, read the full document which is called EU1177.
