Equality Impact Assessment - Road Safety and Travel Awareness

The application form is offered in other languages and in large print, braille and tape.  We collect disability and ethnicity information.  

Our instructors are able to train children and adults with learning disabilities such as Autism.  The instructors are trained as part of the National Standard on how to work with children with special needs – the training advises them to slow down the syllabus.  

We have provided one to one lessons to some children with special needs as this allows our instructors to spend more time with the children.

We do not charge children for training although adults are invited to make a £12.50 contribution to the session fee.  This is waived for concessions. Also it is offered free to staff of workplaces with a travel plan.

Cycling England is developing two Instructor Training Courses in order to make cycle training more accessible to individuals with special needs.

1. Half-day SEN course. First pilot run successfully Sep 08, training workshops and guidelines to be available before the end of this year.

2. 2-day Disability course. In construction, to be available sometimes in 2009.

These courses are developed in consultation and with direct input from expert organisations.

RBK to use SEN Course guidelines to develop INSET/workshops for instructors before April 09.

We have provided training to residents that do not have English as their first language.  As with the training of children with special needs we slow down the syllabus and take a time to explain things as clearly as possible. We have instructors who are native Spanish and French speakers.

We do not provide training to children or adults with severe physical disabilities as we do not have the necessary equipment to do so but we can provide the public with information of specialist companies that can help them with training.  We judge each case on an individual basis.

Instructors to receive update CPD on types of learning difficulties at staff conference 10 Feb 2009

The Tandem Buddy Scheme enables visually impaired cyclists to go out with a volunteer sighted front rider to enjoy this healthy exercise.

Kingston Association for the Blind (KAB) keeps 3 tandems in a secure yard near to central Kingston which can be accessed at any time by the riders who are issued with their own keys. Before they can go out, both front and back riders undergo a training session with an experienced visually impaired rider and then a practise session together. Matches are made based on size, fitness and distance wanting to be covered. they are then free to go out on the bikes whenever they wish.

KAB are always looking for experienced cyclists to volunteer for the scheme as we have a waiting list of visually impaired people wishing to go out. All volunteers have to be CRB checked and references taken, they are also offered Blind Awareness Training. For more information, contact Kerry at KAB on 8605 0060.

Details of this scheme circulated to all team members in November 2008

The application form should be offered in other languages and in large print, braille and tape.  

All our training is advertised via the internet, local media, libraries and tourist information centre – the training is offered to all members of the community.

Improve application form.

Collection of disability and ethnicity information is in progress.

Improve application form.

As above.

This course needs an equalities monitoring form attached to the evaluation form.

The confirmation letter should provide information on how to receive it in large print, Braille and in other languages.

Improve letter & evaluation form

This is a good example of where we have identified a group that needed some attention and we have provided training specifically to encourage more women to cycle.

We have extended the Scheme (from September 2008) to a mid-week day to target another group of women whose children are at school.

Aim of the project is to work with vulnerable adults and children.  The recent CAP project’s aim was social inclusion.  

Information is distributed via libraries, doctors’ surgeries and events such as the Korean fair and has been translated in to other languages for events such as the Korean fair.  

Worked closely with the Refugee Action Partnership, Volunteer Centre, Kingston University, Age Concern, Kingston Racial Equality Council, Milap (Multi-cultural lunch club for the elderly and disabled), Kingston Centre for Independent Living and Bike Across Cultures which specifically includes ethnic minorities.

Walkers and Walk Leaders have to complete an initial health questionnaire which requests information on disabilities and racial background.  

Some of the walks are ideal for the wheelchair users and a few have been attracted to take part.

The campaign is offered to all the Kingston schools.  The majority take part each term and there are a few special schools that do take part at some point during the year – depending on other commitments.  

The Walking to School newsletter contains an information panel on how to have the information printed in Braille, tape, large print and in other languages.

Continue to work closely with schools that have a diverse cultural background and ensure that they are aware of our facilities.

There is potential here to look at how to help disabled parents, who sometimes have major problems getting their children to school and would benefit greatly from initiatives such as Walking Buses. Liaise with Community Care Services to look at the potential for such an approach

Sometimes use the standard RBK sheet offering other languages and collecting disability and ethnicity info – need to ensure this is always used.

Schools have completed these verbally at parents evenings.

Ensure consistency

Encourage schools to help disabled parents who will have less opportunity to change to walking or cycling.

Work with Community Care Services and/or Learning and Children's Services.

Booklets have recently been sent to all schools.

This booklet is aimed at people with English as a second language and low levels of literacy.  We have asked each of the schools to let us know if they require further booklets.

Find out if any other languages needed.  

Green Cross Code not available in Makaton at present (October 2008).

Monitor interest and success.

This material is aimed at boroughs with a large proportion of ethnic minority groups. Many of the tips are those that we use to engage communities. Disappointingly, this document has several types of advice for different BME groups but fails to address our largest community which is Korean.

As part of the process of travel planning, companies are encouraged to address issues such as accessibility. During the audit and surveying stage of developing a travel plan, access issues are revealed so that they can be dealt with internally and with the benefit of Council advice. The travel plan process can save staff money by highlighting and improving alternatives to the car.

Local travel plan groups aim to give businesses a collective voice on travel issues. The groups have a broad remit, and maintaining a good rate of interest in the groups will ensure that common access concerns can be more effectively brought to light.

Ensure that standard RBK letter language and disability information is included on correspondence. Continue to hold meetings in accessible venues and ensure that this is appropriately publicised. Ensure that businesses are aware that they can always obtain advice on access concerns from the Council and provide a point of contact for businesses addressing access issues as part of their travel plan.