I attended the Federation of Disabled People "Get Involved" group yesterday, where members of the group related stories, difficulties and challenges both to myself and some of the other general election candidates in Brighton.

There was lots of discussion around the many simple steps that could be taken to improve the day-to-day lives of people with disabilities.

Brighton and Hove could copy transport authorities elsewhere which have been requiring more taxis to have full disability access, for example, and the Green Party supports the Federation's call for a quota system for the taxi and private hire vehicles to be wheelchair accessible. 

There is also a wealth of work to be done to ensure that the large numbers of vehicles using Brighton's streets don't park on the pavements or block routes used by people with disabilities. 

So much of this comes down to a change in attitude - and a recognition that it is society's failure to take into account the needs of a person with an impairment which is the fundamental problem, not the disability itself.

In short, there are many steps that can be taken in the local area to make life easier for those with disabilities.

On that note, I'm pleased to say that our manifesto is now available online in an easy read version, which can be downloaded here.