The father of a boy with Down syndrome has slammed Metro Tasmania for lack of engagement with the disability sector following bus service cuts in the city.
Leon Chick says his son 29-year-old Aiden has been left stranded due to the bus cuts and has had instances where the bus didn’t arrive or Aiden didn’t know where it was.
“He’s wanting to be more independent, so he can have more relationships … and if he can’t catch the bus he’s in trouble,” Chick said.
“Not everyone has the internet or the app and especially for people with a disability, some of them haven’t got the literacy skills necessary to do that.”
Metro Tasmania has not sought advice from disability advocacy groups but maintains that general access and school services are compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act, a spokesperson said.
Minister for Transport Jeremy Rockliff has called for Metro to consult with the community and all stakeholders and ensure reliability and consistency of service.
He is meeting with Metro Tasmania to understand the situation.
