(www.MacularDegenerations.com) People living with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are spitting mad over the fact that local government has apparently thumbed its nose at their request to restore the electronic timetables at the bus station in Burnley, UK, reported the Lancashire Telegraph.
According to the article, Gordon Birtwistle, MP of Burnley, backed protesters affiliated with the town’s chapter of the Macular Degeneration Society, which gathered to present a 2,000-name petition against the move to do away with the electronic timetables. While the protesters and the Burnley MP were primed for a showdown, they were disappointed that no one from the county government’s headquarters was interested in meeting them.
Olive Western, who represents the association, said in the article that she and the other protesters have already lost their vision and, adding insult to injury, the county government has basically robbed them of their “voice.” She added that the association has some 40 members and around 75% of them are regular bus riders. She added in the article that many of the association’s members have a hard time deciphering the printed timetables that are stationed at the bus gates.
MP Birtwistle, who set up the petition on the bus display issue, said in the article that the protesters requested time to talk to either the cabinet member or the executive director. However, neither of them made the time to meet the protesters. He said in the article that security staff ultimately asked the protesters to vacate the area. Meanwhile, Malcolm Barron, county counsellor, said in the article that he is a bit “perplexed” concerning why Birtwistle led the protesters to County Hall since he had previously been informed that, while the county government would graciously accept the petition, no official would be available to receive it.
According to the article, county transport officials said early in 2012 that shutting off the information displays on the buses at Burnley, Skelmersdale, Nelson, Lancaster and Chorley would help it save £47,000 annually. Barron added in the article that Birtwistle has thus far failed to suggest how he would come up with with funds needed to keep the electronic displays in use.
Reference: http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/9888730.Burnley_bus_timetable_protest_anger/
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