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Guide dogs road show leads the way

Dave Kent talking to driversArriva London has teamed up with Transport for London and Guide Dogs for the Blind to help raise awareness of the needs of people with impaired vision.

Dave Kent, Information Officer for Guide Dogs for the Blind and his guide dog Quince spent the day at Brixton Bus garage meeting drivers to discuss the problems that face people with impaired vision as they use London’s Bus network.

Dave, who has been blind since the age of 18 is a regular user of transport in London and is the first to praise the assistance given to him by the majority of staff heGuide Dog 'Quince' encounters.

“I’ve found that London’s bus drivers are on the whole really helpful when dealing with someone like me, so it’s really useful to visit bus garages and meet some of them personally” said Dave.

Nik Partou, Communication Support Manager for Arriva London said: “Although our drivers receive specific training on disability awareness these events allow our staff to interact with their customers in a more relaxed environment.

Dave encourages a driver to pet Quince“It also gives them an opportunity to ask questions that they may feel awkward asking under normal circumstances.”
 

Published: Fri 26 Aug 2011Modified: Tue 30 Aug 2011

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