URGENT: Ask your MEPs to take action now to help bring accessible public transport to 80 million people across Europe

It's time for truly accessible public transport to be the norm in Europe

MEPs will, this week, vote on legislation that could help make public transport more accessible for the 13 million people in the UK and more than 80 million people across the EU that are living with disabilities.

I have tabled amendments to strengthen the European Accessibility Act and ensure that it includes a binding commitment to make sure there are lifts and ramps where necessary, guaranteeing step-free access to stations, terminals, and ticket offices.

You can help make sure these important amendments become law by asking your MEPs to vote for them when they come before the European Parliament this week.

Let your MEP know that accessibility is important; it only takes a minute.

Step one: find your MEPs

Thanks to WriteToThem, contacting your MEPs couldn't be easier. Just type in your postcode and hit go. You will have more than one MEP covering your constituency.

Step two: write your message

Personalised messages are always best, let your MEPs know why accessibility really matters to you.

To give you an idea, below is a sample letter outlining the importance of supporting Keith Taylor MEP's amendments to the European Accessibility Act.

Dear [name of Member of the European Parliament]

I am taking this opportunity to contact you concerning the adoption of the IMCO report on the European Accessibility Act, the result of which was very disappointing for the disability movement.

While the Opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) included important amendments such as a binding clause on the built environment, these considerations were not reflected in the final report to be voted on in plenary next week. This is because the lead Committee IMCO failed to incorporate the recommendations put forward by the TRAN Committee, disregarding its shared competency with the TRAN Committee.

The Plenary is due to adopt IMCO’s report on September 14. The TRAN Committee and the Greens/EFA Group in the Parliament have tabled amendments to ensure that the final legislation will cover a binding clause on built environment - which includes structural changes to buildings, putting in lifts and ramps where necessary and making sure there is step-free access in stations and terminals.

Therefore, I call on you to support the rights of persons with disabilities when the IMCO report will be taken to the Plenary of the European Parliament and to vote in favour of the amendments tabled on behalf of the TRAN Committee and on behalf of the Greens.

I urge you to support those amendments in the Accessibility Act to guarantee real accessibility for 80 Million persons with disabilities in Europe, as well as for all other consumers who benefit from better accessibility.

Best regards,

[your name]

Step three: send your message

Copy and paste your message or write it directly on the WriteToThem website then fill in your details. MEPs are more likely to respond to their own constituents so filling in your address is important. When you're done, hit send.

Step four: share this email with your friends and family

We need all the support we can get to make sure these vital amendments get the backing of MEPs in the European Parliament. Please forward this email on to your friends and family - and share it on social media using the buttons below.

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Working across the South East of England

To keep in touch with my constituents, I have a team of staff based in the UK:
Constituency Coordinator - Monika Baunach, email: keithtaylor@greenmeps.org.uk
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire - Karen Barass, email: karen@greenmeps.org.uk
Surrey and Sussex - Jo Prior, email jo@greenmeps.org.uk
Hampshire and the Isle of Wight - Eloise Shavelar, email eloise@greenmeps.org.uk