Alan Benson (activist)

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Alan Richard Benson MBE (1969-17 December 2023) was a British disability rights activist. [1]

Biography

Born in Harlow to Joe and Marion Benson, both teachers, he grew up in Lincoln. Benson pursued a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics at Preston Polytechnic, which later became the University of Central Lancashire. [2]

His career began in the IT field, transitioning into local government, where he met his wife, Yvonne. Benson also founded a company providing IT support to schools, and worked in various educational institutions across the UK. [2]

Diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at a young age, Benson moved to London in 2012. [3] There, he encountered significant challenges with the city's transportation system, which catalyzed his involvement in disability rights activism. Despite having no prior experience in activism, he became a prominent figure in the field, participating in media interviews and parliamentary discussions about transportation accessibility. [2] Benson also blogged about accessibility in public transportation and shared information about it on social media. [4]

Benson's advocacy in disability rights gained prominence in Richmond, where he began campaigning for improved disabled access. He co-founded the Campaign for Level Boarding in 2019, a group focusing on railway accessibility, [2] and was recognized in the Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 list the same year. [5] His efforts included an extensive survey of London's step-free access stations on the United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities. In 2022, Benson was appointed an MBE for his services to disability rights. [2] He was also awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Richmond. [6]

Benson also served as a board member and chairman of Transport for All, advocating for improved transportation access, including efforts to make the Crossrail project more accessible to disabled individuals. [2] He co-chaired the Department for Transport's inclusive transport stakeholder group, [7] was deputy chair of London TravelWatch, [4] and sat on the board of the South Western Railway. [8]

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References

  1. ↑ "In loving memory of Alan Benson MBE (1969-2023) | RUILS Charity". www.ruils.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Alan Benson, campaigner who led Transport for All to improve wheelchair access". The Times. 2024-01-19. ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  3. ↑ "Co-Chair of Trustees, Alan Benson, is awarded MBE for services to Public Transport for Disabled People". Transport for All. 2022-06-07. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  4. 1 2 Talora, Joe (2021-09-28). "Northern Line extension described as 'missed opportunity' for accessible transport". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  5. ↑ "Alan Benson - Shaw Trust Disability Power 100". 2020-10-21. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  6. ↑ "Joining the borough's greats - Richmond's highest honour awarded to Alan Benson". Teddington Nub News. 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  7. ↑ "Alan Benson: Tributes from 'heartbroken' colleagues to 'astounding campaigner'". Disability News Service. 2023-12-21. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  8. ↑ Topham, Gwyn (2021-08-05). "South Western Railway launches 10 minutes' notice assistance scheme". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2024-01-19.
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