News from Bromley Labour

Bromley Council to watch performance of Dial-A-Ride

Bromley’s Labour councillors had the rare treat of winning a council motion at Tuesday’s council meeting.

Cllr Peter Fookes told the meeting about his recent experience trying to book Dial-A-Ride, Transport for London’s dedicated taxi service for people with disabilities.

Trying to book a service for a friend on an early Friday evening recently, Peter was told that a service could not be provided. In this day and age that simply is not good enough.

He has since discovered that 40% of respondents to a survey conducted by the London Assembly Transport Committee rated the service poor or very poor.

Peter’s call for Bromley Council to scrutinise the performance of Dial-A-Ride for the borough’s residents was backed by councillors from all sides.

Cllr Fookes commented: “Trying to find out what is going on with the service is not easy but it is clear that the it does need to be far more locally managed and accountable. There has been a large increase in demand for services across London and this figure is expected to grow much further.

“There is a sensible proposal from London Councils to look at all services currently offered to those with mobility problems as there are various schemes available which probably need rationalising. The proposals include the transformation of Dial-A-Ride into borough based bus services managed and operated either by boroughs or sub-regionally.”

Other news from Bromley Labour

• Bromley Council Tax to rise after Tories fail to back Labour's call for a freeze - 17 February 2010
• London's Conservative Councils are a threat to the Freedom Pass - 8 February 2010
• Good services have to be paid for in Bromley - 8 February 2010