22nd August 2006

~ Metroline provides mobility bus service for London’s Liberty Festival ~

ComfortDelGro subsidiary Metroline is providing a special mobility bus service for this year’s Liberty Festival held in London on 2nd September, in order to help promote accessibility and inclusion in the City.

Providing an Optare Solo from Metroline’s West Perivale Garage, Metroline will be transporting people from Westminster tube station to Trafalgar Square on the day of the festival.

Liberty is a major one-day festival that showcases the talents of deaf and disabled artists, musicians, dancers and performers. In 2006 it celebrates 20 years of the London Disability Arts Forum. Organised by the Mayor of London and working with deaf and disabled Londoners, groups contributing to the development of the event include: Attitude is Everything, Creative Routes, Greater London Deaf Association, London Disability Arts Forum, People First, Regard and Shape.

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, who organises Liberty in conjunction with Deaf and disabled Londoners said:
'Liberty is part of my efforts to make London an accessible and inclusive city. Deaf and disabled people make up more than 20 percent of London’s population and it is important that their contribution is celebrated. Liberty is now the largest disability rights festival in Europe and the exciting new commissions featured this year build on this success. Liberty offers an array of acts – from street art to rock – that all Londoners and visitors can enjoy.'

Sean O’Shea, Chief Operating Officer at Metroline said: “We are delighted to be able to participate in the event. As one of London’s largest bus companies, Metroline understands the importance of providing an accessible service to all people. Offering everyone the same benefits to travel around London will improve the overall quality of service and the lives of the people that use it.”

Event Details
Event: Liberty 2006
Date: Saturday 2 September 2006
Time: 1pm-6pm
Venue: Trafalgar Square, London SW1
ENTRY: FREE – ALL WELCOME
INFORMATION: www.london.gov.uk/mayor/equalities/liberty/index.jsp.
Email: liberty@london.gov.uk. Recorded information: 020 7983 4277.

Line Up Includes
- Carousel present dance company High Spin in a high energy duet 'Crush Proof'
- Carousel present four piece rock band Beat Express
- Candoco present Miniatora, a newly commissioned contemporary dance piece set within a giant inflatable architectural structure
- Up and coming band Freeslave led by songwriter Haydon Spenceley feature material from their new album
- Ramesh Meyyappan presents his acclaimed mime performance 'The Insomniac'. Ramesh Meyyappan also performs 'Lazzi of Hunger', a street theatre performance in the Comedia dl Arte style.

Access Information
Liberty is a festival for everyone and is organised to be inclusive and accessible. The following facilities and services on the day will include:
- Information points
- Trained stewards ad BSL interpreters
- Programmes in large text and Braille
- BSL interpretation and palantype relayed onto large screen
- Audio description
- Accessible toilets
- Changing area with hoist
- Viewing area
- Induction loops at information points
- Wheelchair loan service
- Charging Point for electric wheelchairs and scooters
- Assistance dogs area
- Lifts
- Free mobility bus between Westminster Tube and Trafalgar Square, courtesy of Metroline
- Free parking nearby for blue badge holders - limited availability - advance booking only 020 7983 4094

Note to editors:
- Metroline is one of the top five London-based bus companies, currently running 13.5% of the capital’s bus services under contract to Transport for London.
- Metroline carries 250 million passengers every year, operates 93 routes, covers over 37.5 million journey miles each year, employs almost 3700 people and runs a fleet of over 1,200 buses in North, West and Central London and South Hertfordshire.
- Metroline is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Singapore based ComfortDelGro Corporation Limited, which is the world's second largest listed land transport company.
- For information about the organisors email: liberty@london.gov.uk. Recorded information: 020 7983 4277. Enquiries: 020 7983 4100. Website: www.london.gov.uk/mayor/equalities/liberty/index.jsp.
- Liberty is organised by the Mayor of London working together with Deaf and disabled Londoners. Groups contributing to the development of the event include: Attitude is Everything, Creative Routes, Greater London Deaf Association, London Disability Arts Forum, People First, Regard and Shape.
- Liberty is supported by Arts Council England, the Metropolitan Police Authority and Transport for London. Additional thanks to Unison and Independent Living London

- Ends -
Enquiries:
For further Metroline enquiries please contact:
Nicola Vincent, Head of Communications, Metroline 020 8218 8831