Dear Editor,
People with disabilities are the largest minority group in America, and anyone can become a member at any time.
TransLink didn’t recognize that important fact when they made a presentation to the Mayors Council on Thursday.
When reporting on every major facet of transit, they omitted HandyDART.
Perhaps they were too excited about their unveiling of a double-decker bus.
Not only was accessible transit ignored, but also more than three people who wanted to raise their concerns regarding accessible transit were denied the opportunity to speak. No question regarding transportation for people with disabilities were directed at TransLink.
Sadly TransLink appears to view a human rights case presented by the HandyDART Riders Alliance as antagonistic.
American senate members probably felt the same way when disabled people fought for the American Disability Act; they directed the police to drag those disabled advocates out of the senate.
Seniors and people with disabilities will have their voices heard.
READ former Beeching letter: HandyDART service troubling
They tire of platitude and Band-Aid solutions, like claiming that taxis are an alternative to public transit.
TransLink continues to inject tax dollars into profit rather than service.
A movement is brewing – formed of the largest minority group, seniors and disabled people.
It is antagonistic to claim that orchestrated “focus groups” are giving people who need accessible transit a voice.
Was TransLink trying to bamboozle the public when they left quality of service out when comparing for profit service to publicly run?
It is time that accessible public transit is recognized as an equal right that benefits all people in society.
Mark Beeching, Langley
READ another HandyDART letter from Beeching: ‘Suck it up’ quote stinks