AT celebrates two distinguished careers of service and dedication to the Tāmaki Makaurau Public Transport Network

In recognition of International Day of Persons with Disabilities - 3 December 2022, AT takes the opportunity to recognise the incredible difference their advisory groups have made, working alongside AT and Auckland Council staff and other key stakeholders. Two long serving members, with more than fifty years of combined service for accessibility on public transport in Auckland, are heading off to their well-deserved retirements.

Chris Orr (from Blind Low Vision), and Alison McLellan (from Headway: The Brain Injury Association Auckland) both completed their final three-year tenure this month, as one of ten members on AT’s two internal advisory groups. Chris Orr has lived most of his adult life being blind after losing his sight in a shooting accident.?Having always been an athlete, Chris carried on with running and eventually went on to represent New Zealand as a winter para-Olympian, and part of the first ever medal winning Innsbruck team to Austria, where Chris was a Silver paralympian medalist in the downhill event with his ski guide and friend Roger McGarry. He also represented New Zealand twice in the World Blind Marathon Championships - winning one of those events too.

Alison McLellan demonstrates a similar life of dedication and bravery for her family. In 1976, living any parents’ nightmare, Alison McLellan’s life drastically changed when her 19-year-old son, was in a car crash, and suffered a severe brain injury. Being the positive and encouraging person she is, Alison came together with other parents to form the Head Injury Society in 1981 (now Brain Injury Association), a support and advocacy group.?Then in 2021, Alison was a Senior New Zealander of the year semi-finalist.?The Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year Award. Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau recognises those who have made a positive contribution to our great nation later in their life.

Chris and Alison met, decades ago, when they both joined the Public Transport Accessibility Group (PTAG) focused on accessible service delivery and better public transportation experiences across the Auckland network.?Also, the Capital Projects Accessibility Group (CPAG) – that is focused on accessible and inclusive design of the public transport network.

For the last three years, panel members have been at the heart of some of ATs many successes for Auckland and the diversity of projects include:

• Adoption and implementation of AT’s Accessibility Action Plan
• The Accessibility Audit Tools developed (bus, rail, ferry) which can be utilized to assess the accessibility of existing infrastructure
• Accessibility and design in the new City Rail Link (CRL) ?train network and new stations
• Development of the new train network with all stations now at a uniform height across the network.?Rail development planning
• Accessibility and design of the new Eastern bus network Eastern Busway
• Supporting the development and improvements to the Total Mobility taxi service in Auckland.?This scheme supports those who can’t easily use public transport. Total Mobility scheme
• Working with Waka Kotahi on the national Requirements for Urban Buses (“RUB”) in New Zealand Requirements for Urban Buses in New Zealand
• And in 2022, helping staff design and implement the new PlusOne bus transportation concession. The ‘Plus One Bus Companion’ will enable the support person of a Total Mobility cardholder to ride an Auckland Transport bus at no charge, when travelling together.?This is now being considered to include rail and ferry. PlusOne Bus Companion making bus travel

Next year, the new 2023 PTAG and CPAG advisories hope to welcome youth members for the first time. They will continue to support Māori wellbeing, encourage Auckland’s culturally diverse communities (including the LGBTQ+ community) and tackle safety. There are also the questions of equity, accessibility, and carbon reduction for climate change.

The membership panels are drawn from stakeholder group representatives - from general or physical impairment, vision impairment, hearing impairment, cognitive impairment, neuro diversity, senior citizens, and youth with disability.