Written Question · S2W-00994 · Session 2
Further to the answer to question S2W-592 by Nicol Stephen on 19 June 2003, what the purpose is of the Thistle Travel Card Scheme; what the…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-592 by Nicol Stephen on 19 June 2003, what the purpose is of the Thistle Travel Card Scheme; what the scheme's eligibility criteria are; when the scheme was established; how many people are participating in the scheme; where they are from, and in which areas it operates.
The answer
The Thistle Card Scheme was set up by ENABLE and was launched in September 2002. The aim of the scheme was to support people with a learning difficulty or other mental health problem to enjoy the freedom of independent travel by providing an easily recognisable card to assist communication between transport staff and the passenger. There are no eligibility criteria for the Thistle Card, it is a self-selection process for those who might have trouble with dealing with money, require help with their destination or need time to sit down. The scheme is run by ENABLE on a national basis and latest figures show that they are dealing with around five to 10 enquiries a week. 195,000 cards have been sent out across Scotland and 8,000 staff guidelines have been sent to 43 transport companies.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S2W-00994 by reference.