Railtravel assistance

Dear Editor,

With ScotRail now in public ownership, now is the time for local authorities to work with the Scottish Government to make local travel networks as accessible and affordable as possible for visually impaired people.

From difficulties in being able to see ticket machines or platform numbers, to being unable to navigate safely and efficiently around a station without a guide, travelling by train alone can often be extremely challenging and feel daunting for many people with sight loss, with some even choosing to avoid it altogether.

And with different concessionary and companion schemes in different local authorities across Scotland, our organisation has heard first-hand from blind and partially sighted people how confusing and challenging train travel can be.

That’s why Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans have launched a petition calling for a new national policy in Scotland for rail travel for holders of a National (Scotland) Concessionary Travel for Blind Persons card and their travel companions, like that of the free bus scheme.

Travelling with a companion, with the vital support they bring, can make a real difference for visually impaired people. A new scheme enabling free rail travel across Scotland for blind and partially sighted people and their companions would be a huge step forward for an inclusive Scotland for visually impaired people.

Read and sign our online petition at: change.org/p/free-rail-travel-forblind-partially-sighted-people-theircompanions-in-scotland

Craig Spalding, Sight Scotland Chief Executive

Supermarket chain Lidl has been given permission from councillors to proceed with plans for a new store in Wishaw.

The company had applied for approval for a new store along with parking spaces, two electric vehicle charging stations and bicycle storage, with access coming from Heathery via a new roundabout.

It’s interesting that all the objections