The Disability Equality Duty - Does It Work? (Part 1)

The Disability Equality Duty is part of the DDA which came into force just over two years ago. This is concerned with promoting the rights of disabled people within society and ensuring that the needs of disabled people are met within the functions provided by public authorities.

One such public authority is the police.

I am a regular football supporter (Fulham Football Club - possibly the best in the world) and use a local bus-stop which is near to the tube. As you can imagine, after any home match, the whole world and his father head towards this area and as such, the police are present to undertake crowd control. In the past, the buses pull up far away from the kerb so their ramp cannot be deployed correctly. Therefore, often I have asked the police to have a word with the driver before the bus moved to ensure that he positions the bus near to the kerb. On previous occasions this has worked and in my mind this is how the Disability Equality Duty should work firsthand. However, three weeks ago I asked a police officer the same thing and my request was refused! The police comment was "that they were on crowd control duties and so were unable to assist with anything else".

I believe I am a member of that crowd and I should have an equal right to be controlled and logic would tell me getting me onto the bus and away from the area falls under the remit of crowd control and I believe that this is what the Disability Equality Duty should be.

I would welcome anyone’s comments on this issue as in the above scenario it does seem that this is a grey area.