Group of friends test GO GEORGE accessibility for people who are blind
Issued 27 March 2023
A very friendly group of “assessors” took to the street and also went for a bus ride in George on Wednesday last week. The purpose of their visit was to test and give feedback regarding the universal accessibility of the newly upgraded Market Street, as well as the features and services to accommodate people who are blind on the GO GEORGE buses and at the bus stops.
The four blind friends came to George from Hartenbos where Diane du Plessis (owner of guide dog Akari) and Amanda Bester (owner of guide dog Odie) reside, and Corrie Brits (owner of guide dog Melvin) and Reginald Smal had been visiting them from Bellville and Roodepoort respectively. They certainly looked to be on a mission with three guide dogs leading the pack, and Reginald using a white cane to walk about.
Universal Access a top priority
Universal accessibility (UA) is one of the top priorities of the GO GEORGE bus service which has been commended before about being progressive and innovative regarding accommodation of passengers with disabilities or special needs.
“Of course, we have made mistakes in the past, but we keep learning and we continuously keep trying to improve our services to all passengers,” said James Robb, Acting Public Transport Oversight Official of the George Municipality.
To this end, the services of one of the few qualified UA consultants in South Africa, Colette Fransolet, was acquired to continuously educate, support and assess the different workstreams of the bus service to enhance the experience of persons with disabilities or special needs. Colette invited the group to George and accompanied them along with members of the GO GEORGE communication team.
Visitors deeply impressed
The visitors were unanimously impressed with the wide sidewalks in Market Street and the tactile paving which they could feel with their feet and that can be followed easily towards the bus stop or for warnings at pedestrian crossings. Market Street is in the final phases of being upgraded, incorporating several universal design principles.
Corrie appreciated using the ramp to board the bus and remarked on the enjoyable walk through the Garden Route Mall with their dogs. To their delight, a Braille menu was presented at the Wimpy restaurant.
Amanda mentioned that the beeps at the traffic lights could perhaps be made a bit louder since it is difficult to hear them above the engine noise of passings buses or trucks. “Everything about the visit was positive,” she said, “but the GO GEORGE bus was the ultimate experience of the day! The buses are equipped so well to accommodate people with different kinds of disabilities – it would be wonderful if every city can have this kind of bus service. It allows the blind person so much independence, having access to this kind of transport, being able to go to the Mall on your own.”
Reginald reiterated the ease with which a person who is blind can navigate the spacious sidewalks with tactile paving, including the directional paving at the bus stop itself. “I can just commend the effort that’s being made here in George,” he said.
It was Diane’s first bus ride and most enjoyable, with her guide dog, Akari, also handling it very well.
Status of guide dogs
Co-passengers on this specific bus were still a bit apprehensive of the three dogs in the bus.
“I know the GO GEORGE communication team has been doing a lot to create awareness about guide dogs, but this is something we need to keep addressing,” said Colette. “The public should be made aware of the need for and status of working dogs, and that they are harmless. They can be discerned from other dogs by the harnesses they wear and a sign that reads, Working guide dog. Please do not distract. Guide dogs are an integral part of being blind if you own a dog. The dogs are an extension of the person and give them a great sense of independence.”
Persons with disabilities are encouraged to use the GO GEORGE bus service and will be assisted by passenger support staff, if needed, until they feel confident to travel on their own. Please call the GO GEORGE Call Centre on 0800 044 044 for more information or to request support.
CAPTIONS:
Reginald Smal found the extended ramp easy to use when boarding the bus.
Diane du Plessis with her guide dog, Akari, testing the ramp to board the bus. It was their first bus ride ever.
Corrie Bester’s guide dog, Melvin, has been living and working with his owner for six years. He was very calm on the bus, which is typical of Labradors.
Odi (left, with her owner Amanda Bester) and Akari (Diane du Plessis’s guide dog) are sister and brother from the same litter and love playing together when their owners visit. Their third birthday was properly celebrated last week when the two sibling also made the headlines.
The visitors were intrigued, learning about the detail and planning that goes into universal design of the features and facilities of the GO GEORGE bus service – all to ensure that all passengers can use the service with ease.
The group of visitors with their guide dogs waited patiently at the bus stop for their bus to the Garden Route Mall. Every moment was used to share interesting information about universal design principles aimed at accommodating passengers with disabilities and special needs.
Groep vriende toets GO GEORGE-toeganklikheid vir mense wat blind is
Uitgereik 27 Maart 2023
‘n Baie vriendelike groep “assessors” het verlede week die straat ingevaar in George, en ook ‘n busrit onderneem. Die doel van hul besoek was om fasiliteite te toets en terugvoer te gee oor die universele toeganklikheid van die nuut opgegradeerde Markstraat, asook die funksies en dienste om mense wat blind is op die GO GEORGE-busse en by die bushaltes te akkommodeer.
Die vier blinde vriende het van Hartenbos na George gekom waar Diane du Plessis (eienaar van gidshond Akari) en Amanda Bester (eienaar van gidshond Odie) woon, en Corrie Brits (eienaar van gidshond Melvin) en Reginald Smal onderskeidelik van Bellville en Roodepoort by hulle kom kuier het. Die groep het beslis gelyk of hulle op ‘n missie is met drie gidshonde wat die span lei, en Reginald wat ‘n wit kierie gebruik om rond te beweeg.
Universele toegang ‘n topprioriteit
Universele toeganklikheid (UT) is een van die topprioriteite van die GO GEORGE-busdiens wat al voorheen lof ontvang het vir hul progressiewe en innoverende benadering ten opsigte van die akkommodering van passasiers met gestremdhede of spesiale behoeftes.
“Natuurlik het ons in die verlede foute gemaak, maar ons hou aan leer en ons probeer voortdurend om ons dienste aan alle passasiers te verbeter,” het James Robb, waarnemende oorsigbeampte van openbare vervoer van die George-munisipaliteit, gesê.
Vir hierdie doel is die dienste van een van die min gekwalifiseerde UT-konsultante in Suid-Afrika, Colette Fransolet, verkry om die verskillende afdelings van die busdiens deurlopend op te voed, te ondersteun en te assesseer om die ervaring van persone met gestremdhede of spesiale behoeftes te verbeter. Colette het die groep na George genooi en hulle saam met lede van die GO GEORGE-kommunikasiespan vergesel.
Besoekers diep beïndruk
Die besoekers was eenparig beïndruk met die breë sypaadjies in Markstraat en die tasbare plaveisel wat hulle met hul voete kon voel en wat maklik gevolg kan word na die bushalte of vir waarskuwings by voetoorgange. Markstraat is in die finale fases van opgradering, wat verskeie universele ontwerpbeginsels insluit.
Corrie het dit geniet om die loopvlak te gebruik om op die bus te klim en het opgemerk dat die stappie met hul gidshonde deur die Garden Route Mall baie goed afgeloop het. Tot hul vreugde is ‘n Braille-spyskaart by die Wimpy-restaurant aangebied.
Amanda het genoem dat die piepgeluid by die verkeersligte dalk ‘n bietjie harder gemaak kan word, aangesien dit moeilik is om dit bo die enjingeraas van verbygaande busse of vragmotors te hoor. “Alles omtrent die besoek was positief,” het sy gesê, “maar die GO GEORGE-bus was die uiteindelike ervaring van die dag! Die busse is so goed toegerus om mense met verskillende soorte gestremdhede te akkommodeer – dit sal wonderlik wees as elke stad hierdie soort busdiens kan hê. Dit laat die blinde persoon soveel onafhanklikheid toe, met toegang tot hierdie soort vervoer, om self winkelsentrum toe te kan gaan.”
Reginald het ook melding gemaak van die gemak waarmee ‘n persoon wat blind is die ruim sypaadjies met tasbare plaveisel kan navigeer, asook die rigtingaanwysende plaveisel by die bushalte self. “Ek het net lof vir die moeite wat hier in George gedoen word,” het hy gesê.
Dit was Diane se eerste busrit en sy het dit baie geniet saam met haar gidshond, Akari, wat dit ook baie goed hanteer het.
Status van gidshonde
Medepassasiers op hierdie spesifieke bus was nog ‘n bietjie versigtig vir die drie honde in die bus.
“Ek weet die GO GEORGE-kommunikasiespan het baie gedoen om bewustheid oor gidshonde te skep, maar dit is iets wat ons moet aanhou aanspreek,” het Colette gesê. “Die publiek moet bewus gemaak word van die behoefte aan en status van werkende honde en dat hulle skadeloos is. Hulle kan van ander honde onderskei word deur die harnasse wat hulle dra en ‘n teken wat lees: Working guide dog. Please do not distract. Gidshonde is ‘n integrale deel van blindwees as jy ‘n hond besit. Die honde is ‘n verlengstuk van die persoon en gee hulle ‘n groot gevoel van onafhanklikheid.”
Persone met gestremdhede word aangemoedig om van die GO GEORGE-busdiens gebruik te maak en sal, indien nodig, deur passasiersondersteuningspersoneel bygestaan word totdat hulle selfversekerd genoeg voel om alleen te reis. Skakel gerus die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrum by 0800 044 044 vir meer inligting of om ondersteuning te versoek.
Fotobyskrifte in Afrikaans:
Reginald Smal het die loopvlak baie gerieflik gevind toe hy op die bus klim.
Diane du Plessis met haar gidshond, Akari, toets die loopvlak om die bus te betree. Dit was hulle eerste busrit ooit.
Corrie Bester se gidshond, Melvin, woon en werk al ses jaar saam met sy eienaar. Hy was baie kalm op die bus, wat tipiese gedrag vir Labradors is.
Odi (links, met haar eienaar, Amanda Bester) en Akari (Diane du Plessis se gidshond) is suster en broer uit dieselfde werpsel en speel baie lekker saam wanneer hul eienaars kuier. Die twee se derde verjaarsdag verlede week is deeglik gevier en het selfs koerantopskrifte gehaal.
Die besoekers was gefassineerd om te hoor van die fyn besonderhede en beplanning wat betrokke is by die universele ontwerp van die fasiliteite en kenmerke van die GO GEORGE-busdiens – alles om te verseker dat alle passasiers die busdiens met gemak kan gebruik.
Die groep besoekers met hul gidshonde wag geduldig by die bushalte vir hul rit na die Garden Route Mall. Elke oomblik is gebruik om interessante inligting te deel oor universele-ontwerpbeginsels wat daarop gemik is om passasiers met gestremdhede en spesiale behoeftes te akkommodeer.