Ukip Chief under Fire over 'Lame' Remark:

mkpdavies · 22-04-2005, 03:10 PM

http://www.keralanext.com/news/indexread.asp?id=188459

Quote:

[UK News] A senior UK Independence Party official caused controversy today when he suggested that funding to make railway stations accessible to disabled people would be better spent paying for “the old, the lame and the blind” to travel by taxi.

I guess they don't like the word lame???

Or is it the policy? I can't tell!

22-04-2005, 03:31 PM

wow im glad im not in a wheelchair in UKIP's world :roll:

mkpdavies · 22-04-2005, 03:38 PM

I'd rather take the taxi than a train anyday!

Mark Croucher · 22-04-2005, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkpdavies

I'd rather take the taxi than a train anyday!

In actual fact, car travel is more environmentally friendly than train travel in any case......

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotgirl

wow im glad im not in a wheelchair in UKIP's world

Why? Because you might be called lame? I would imagine that if you're in a wheelchair, what people call you is the least of your worries. As for disabled access, I remember getting in all sorts of problems over this when I was a school governor. To make the computer room on the 1st floor required a chair lift costing GBP 12,000 in the same year that we had a GBP 60,000 budget shortfall. My crime? To ask when, if ever, the school had last had a child who required special access arrangements. The answer? Never. Total money spent making the school accessible up until then? GBP 78,000. Of course, I was a fascist discriminatory reactionary for asking the question.

Rgds

Mark

22-04-2005, 03:51 PM

Quote:

On disabilities, I am afraid that we do not have specific plans to alter arrangements for them,

If i was in a wheelchair (and this is just the example i realise that there are more than one type of disability) UKIP want to deny me the freedom to travel by train,

and your telling me that travelling say from Glasgow to London for example in a car is more enviromentally friendly than a train, i cant belive that somehow

mkpdavies · 22-04-2005, 03:57 PM

It would be if you were the only person on the train.

I wonder how many disabled people travel by train now?

I think all future projects should account for people with disabilities, though I agree with the sentiment that if there are better and cheaper ways of getting someone with disabilites from A to B, then that should be chosen for now.

Traveling on a train is hardly a luxury, common sense needs to be applied here.

Mark Croucher · 22-04-2005, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotgirl

and your telling me that travelling say from Glasgow to London for example in a car is more enviromentally friendly than a train, i cant belive that somehow

In actual fact, there was a report commissioned within the past 2 months where they looked at the train service between London & York, and compared the amount of diesel used by a class 253 express and a family saloon. Per passenger, the train used considerably more. I don't have it to hand, but Quentin, who is worryingly interested in such matters, can provide it if necessary. It appeared in last months 'Railway' magazine.

FWIW, a friend of mine who is in a wheelchair and 'disabled' insists on being called 'crippled'; in his words, that is what he is.

Rgds

Mark

Anthony Butcher · 23-04-2005, 01:51 PM

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4439806

Quote:

A senior UK Independence Party official caused controversy today when he suggested that funding to make railway stations accessible to disabled people would be better spent paying for “the old, the lame and the blind” to travel by taxi.

The comments came to light on BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours show, which was examining different parties’ manifesto pledges affecting people with disabilities.

When it emerged that Ukip does not have any policies relating specifically to disabled people in its manifesto, programme-makers contacted the party.

Ukip internal communications director Quentin Williamson replied in an e-mail: “On disabilities, I am afraid that we do not have specific plans to alter arrangements for them, although we do question whether the vast amounts of money spent on making railway stations accessible would not be better spent on paying for the old, lame and blind to travel by taxi, many of which will take wheelchairs these days.”

Deaf comedian Steve Day blasted Mr Williamson’s use of “biblical language”.

“I just wonder what their policy is on ‘those possessed by demons’.”

Political Correctness gone mad. Apparently the word lame is indeed no longer a valid English word.

Hereward the Wake · 23-04-2005, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Croucher

In actual fact, there was a report commissioned within the past 2 months where they looked at the train service between London & York, and compared the amount of diesel used by a class 253 express and a family saloon. Per passenger, the train used considerably more.

I do belive a full car is more efficient than a full train. However on average the train runs with more full seats. Also you must take INTO phpbb_account the energy used to make the car.

The vast majority of trains running between London and York are class 92 electric trains, which are more efficient than diesels.

Paul Birch · 23-04-2005, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hereward the Wake

I do belive a full car is more efficient than a full train. However on average the train runs with more full seats.

On the contrary, trains and buses tend to run at much lower average occupancy ratios (taking INTO phpbb_account branch lines, rural or out-of-town dog-ends of the route, off-peak and late night running, etc.). For a private car the ratio is typically about 35%. For a public transport vehicle, more like 10%.

Quote:

The vast majority of trains running between London and York are class 92 electric trains, which are more efficient than diesels.

I doubt if there's much difference in overall efficiency - once you include the inefficiencies of electricity generation and distribution.

22-04-2005, 03:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,832 Party: Libertarian Party	I'd rather take the taxi than a train anyday! __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

22-04-2005, 03:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,832 Party: Libertarian Party	It would be if you were the only person on the train. I wonder how many disabled people travel by train now? I think all future projects should account for people with disabilities, though I agree with the sentiment that if there are better and cheaper ways of getting someone with disabilites from A to B, then that should be chosen for now. Traveling on a train is hardly a luxury, common sense needs to be applied here. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

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22-04-2005, 03:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
Guest Posts: n/a	wow im glad im not in a wheelchair in UKIP's world :roll: