Sarah lives in London and uses public transport every day to get to her jobs as a charity administrator and an access support worker.
While transport is plentiful and close to home in the capital, it can be overwhelming for Sarah who is neurodivergent and has autoimmune conditions which affect her energy levels.
“I find it difficult to ask for help so if a staff member is looking at their phone and I have to get their attention, that’s challenging for me,” she says. “Teams of ticket inspectors at barriers in the station can be very intimidating.
“I feel like an imposter sometimes as I don’t ‘look disabled’”.
As a frequent user of the London underground, Sarah finds the tube map easy to navigate. Its visual layout and use of colours work well for her.
But Sarah’s disabilities mean she can feel very anxious about travelling, especially if she has to go outside of London. She plans well ahead and builds extra time into her journey to be able to orient herself.
“I’d like it if there were more announcements and signage,” she says. “I don’t want to have to ask staff.
“I find airports the most challenging. They are too bright, too loud and it’s never clear where to go or where to queue. I wish websites had introductory videos that you could see the steps you need to go through from arriving at the airport to boarding the plane.”
She says she joined the CAT panel because transport is something she relies on.
“I’m passionate about accessibility and I want to help improve transport for disabled people. I use transport every day so I’m very interested in this topic.
“I’d encourage disabled people to join so they can be part of an inclusive community and get involved in new projects.”
