Alan Benson (activist)
Alan Richard Benson MBE (1969-17 December 2023) was a British disability rights activist.[1]
Biography[edit]
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]
References[edit]
- ^ "In loving memory of Alan Benson MBE (1969-2023) | RUILS Charity". www.ruils.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ a b c d e f "Alan Benson, campaigner who led Transport for All to improve wheelchair access". The Times. 2024-01-19. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b Talora, Joe (2021-09-28). "Northern Line extension described as 'missed opportunity' for accessible transport". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ "Alan Benson - Shaw Trust Disability Power 100". 2020-10-21. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ "Joining the borough's greats - Richmond's highest honour awarded to Alan Benson". Teddington Nub News. 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ "Alan Benson: Tributes from 'heartbroken' colleagues to 'astounding campaigner'". Disability News Service. 2023-12-21. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ Topham, Gwyn (2021-08-05). "South Western Railway launches 10 minutes' notice assistance scheme". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-01-19.