Travelling by train

Savvy_Sue

I attended a discussion session on accessibility and rail travel today, got invited when I renewed my disabled railcard.

It was quite useful being able to share experiences (not all of them good!), but also finding out some things we did not know about.

None of us had heard of 'Stations Made Easy', lets you 'explore' around a station and work out where you're going next.

Description here.

Tigsteroonie

For more info on how things might change (improve) in the future, check out Spaces & Places for Everyone ... http://www.networkrail.co.uk/diversityandinclusion/

(sorry, felt kinda duty-bound to promote the link )

PasturesNew

Stations made easy only works if you can get OUT of the train. In Cornwall a lot of the trains require you to open the window, then reach outside and open the door from the outside.... as my friend discovered when the door never opened and his train took off again to the next station.

Cyclamen

I'm still waiting to hear back from our train company on what happens if i pre book tickets and ticket machine is broken. I can't go over the bridge to other platform and ticket office said they couldn't help me.

I have used stations made easy website and find it reassuring. The accessible phone line will also talk you through the station and if its possible to get off the platform without steps, and suggest easier places to change trains etc.

As for not being able to open train door pasturesnew thats a challenge I had never thought of. I didn't realise we still had the old style doors running. I have been lucky and had passengers stand in doorway to prevent electric doors closing whilst my partner goes looking for the guard on the platform on the one occasion they forgot to help me with ramps. All I can say is if its not an empty train I guess you have to rely on the kindness of strangers.

LocoLoco

I've only used trains twice with my son in a wheelchair (partly because he doesn't use it very often and partly because we don't go by train very often!). I didn't know you could pre-book assistance but we were very lucky and the staff at the various stations were lovely and very helpful, as were other passengers, generally speaking. We were also travelling during the day which is obviously quieter than peak times. If we did it again I would book assistance in advance as I could see that at busy times trying to catch someone's attention to get a ramp put in would be difficult.

grace68

I also attended one of these sessions today. I had never heard of 'Stations Made Easy' either, will be great to prepare my autistic children because i can show them what they will have to face.

I felt we, as attendees , probably got as much out of session as National Rail!

grace

Be_Happy

OH and I used pre-booked assistance recently for the first time and found the help varied greatly depending on the station.

On departure from small station only manned part time, we knew that no one would be available from station, but expected help from train staff - guard/ticket collector had no record of our booking, but was very helpful at lifting mobility scooter on to train when asked. (Scooter is a Luggie - folds up to suitcase size, but is heavy to lift).

Arrival station was expecting us and staff came out with ramp to wheel scooter off train.

Return departure station was again expecting us and lifted scooter on to train. On train, though there was no space in the disabled/bike carriage for scooter, due to standing passengers, and it had to stand at the exit door, with people entering or leaving the train squeezing past it. Train was very overcrowded, but we were lucky to get our reserved seats.

Arrival station - problems began. We got off train on opposite side from the station booking office. No one around to help - passengers helped lift the scooter off train. Went to lift to cross over bridge - lift out of order - faced with steep flight of stairs. I went across to booking staff and two very helpful staff came across to carry the scooter up over the bridge. One of them had our assistance booking form marked that we had been advised of problem and were to travel on to next station and would be provided with a taxi back to this station. This was the first we had heard of this, even checked mobile for texts, missed calls, etc.

Throughout journeys staff were very helpful. Other passengers always asked if I needed help to lift the scooter on to train. Only problem seemed to be with the central booking administration.

Savvy_Sue

PasturesNew wrote: »

Stations made easy only works if you can get OUT of the train. In Cornwall a lot of the trains require you to open the window, then reach outside and open the door from the outside.... as my friend discovered when the door never opened and his train took off again to the next station.

It's not just Cornwall, and I loathe those trains, always have, even without a physical disability. It's quite hard to open the window in the first place, then the leaning over and opening outwards - you just feel as if you're going to fall out and land flat on your face!

LocoLoco

Be_Happy wrote: »

OH and I used pre-booked assistance recently for the first time and found the help varied greatly depending on the station.

On departure from small station only manned part time, we knew that no one would be available from station, but expected help from train staff - guard/ticket collector had no record of our booking, but was very helpful at lifting mobility scooter on to train when asked. (Scooter is a Luggie - folds up to suitcase size, but is heavy to lift).

Arrival station was expecting us and staff came out with ramp to wheel scooter off train.

Return departure station was again expecting us and lifted scooter on to train. On train, though there was no space in the disabled/bike carriage for scooter, due to standing passengers, and it had to stand at the exit door, with people entering or leaving the train squeezing past it. Train was very overcrowded, but we were lucky to get our reserved seats.

Arrival station - problems began. We got off train on opposite side from the station booking office. No one around to help - passengers helped lift the scooter off train. Went to lift to cross over bridge - lift out of order - faced with steep flight of stairs. I went across to booking staff and two very helpful staff came across to carry the scooter up over the bridge. One of them had our assistance booking form marked that we had been advised of problem and were to travel on to next station and would be provided with a taxi back to this station. This was the first we had heard of this, even checked mobile for texts, missed calls, etc.

Throughout journeys staff were very helpful. Other passengers always asked if I needed help to lift the scooter on to train. Only problem seemed to be with the central booking administration.

It's nice when people offer to help; I do find that generally speaking when we are out and about with the wheelchair people are very good about holding doors open and offering to help with kerbs and so on which is very nice.