Disabled Train/Underground passengers:Are they invisible & do they exist?

cagga1

I have spinal canal stenosis in my cervical & lumber regions of my spine, an Arthritic Right Hip, Asthma, Angina & I’m also in the early stages of possible Emphysema.
I’m currently on the NHS waiting list for Hip replacement surgery at The Kent & Sussex Hospital in Tunbridge Wells & I’m in absolute agony.
On Sunday 09/03/2008I had the misfortune to endure the Train trip from Hell. I’d been to my native Black Country hometown of Tipton for an old schoolmate’s 50th birthday party & caught the 08.59 train to Birmingham New Street Station to catch the 10.00 from there to London Euston. As the train approached, I along with my fellow passengers, were “shepherded” down the platform, away from the First Class carriages, by some Bolshie Jobs worth sort of person with the Catherine Tate Laurens character “I AINT BOVVERED” sort of attitude. Given I was using my walking stick & carrying for me what was a heavy bag on my shoulder, I made my way, limping along the platform to the rear of the train. When I got there, it appeared that all the seats were taken, so I started to limp back towards the middle of the train, to see if I could spot a seat there or pay £15 to upgrade to First Class. The Guard blew his whistle & the train doors closed as I was trying to get on & the train pulled out.
To say I was angered is a slight understatement! I expressed my disgust with the Bolshie “girl” only to be told “There were seats right at the rear of the train”!
I eventually got home to Tunbridge Wells 6 hours after I left Tipton.
Granted some of the overcrowding on the train was due to Cruft’s being held at the N.E.C. But surely you’d have thought A) Virgin/ BR would’ve put on more trains or
Some respect towards my Disabled plight would have been expected.
London Underground:-
As you probably know, the Tube network is old and was constructed during times when very little thought was given to those with limited mobility. Furthermore, over recent decades it has been starved of the investment necessary to make the network more accessible for mobility-impaired people. Nowadays, attitudes are very different and they are trying to fulfill their obligations under the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act, the third part of which came in to force in October 2004.
London Underground's policy is to build all new lines and stations with step-free access from street level to platform, with straight, level platforms with no gaps or steps. The 1999 Jubilee line extension from Westminster to Stratford is an excellent example of their commitment to this.
They currently have 45 out of 253 stations with step-free access. As part of its massive current investment programme on the Tube, they are in the middle of refurbishing or modernising all their stations. As part of this, they plan to make about 25% of stations step-free by 2010 and around a third by 2013 (and 2012 for the Olympics, where possible). Unfortunately, due to geological and architectural factors, there will always be some stations where improving access is impossible, but eventually they aim to have a key network of about 100 stations that are fully accessible for everyone.
Have you ever tried using the London Underground on crutches/walking sticks & carrying an heavy bag?
You get able bodied people pushing past you,not offering to carry your bag or heaven forbid,offer you THEIR seat.Even though there might be a sticker of a Wheelchair behind it!
What do other forum users think?
To date I have not been offered ONE PENNY in compensation & have only had the most pathetic of apologies,even after threatening them with action under the Disabled Discrimination Act with assistance from equalityhumanrights.com:mad:

chuckley

y didnt u just get on the 1st class section and walk through? or stand/sit in the 1st class doorways until people had got off at B Intl?

london underground network is a rushy place. u get pushed regardless of disability or not. disabled people should not block the walkways (by walking in the middle), or escalaters (by standing on the left). that way its better for your safety and also people can rush to catch their tube.

if its a disabled seat on the tube then YOU need to ask folk to move, the same with virgin trains... having said that vtrains have a very limited amount of seats for disabled, which is wrong. ive been on the train last year when crufts was on... NEVER again.

ALSO u say they should've put more trains on... u need staff for that... plus they have a set schedule daily where by they cannot just 'add more coz crufts is on'. once the crufts folk are off the train is like 40% full.

the mere fact that u were shuffled along the platform minutes before the train departed shows that u in effect didnt allow yourself much time to board and find a seat. if you were there before the train arrived you would've been in a better stance at finding a seat.

Altarf

cagga1 wrote: »

by some Bolshie Jobs worth sort of person with the Catherine Tate Laurens character “I AINT BOVVERED” sort of attitude.

From your rant it seems that you are the one with the attitude problem.

Was there any particular reason that you couldn't':

A. Just get on the train and find a seat.
B. As you knew the train would be busy, reserve a seat in advance.

amcluesent

> I eventually got home to Tunbridge Wells...<

I believe you are 'Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' and claim my £5.

Keith

Altarf wrote: »

B. As you knew the train would be busy, reserve a seat in advance.

Because he is "disabled" so people should give up their seat, despite the fact he is carrying a heavy bag

Oh, he want's compensation :rolleyes:

dzug

A) Virgin/ BR would’ve put on more trains

How on earth would they do that? They don't have them to put on, nor do they have the staff to run them, nor, on that particular section of track, is there the line and station capacity for them to run.

ukchriss

cagga1 wrote: »

Have you ever tried using the London Underground on crutches/walking sticks & carrying an heavy bag?

Yes its hard work!

There is a leaflet ‘British Rail and Disabled Travellers' which you can pick up from a Social Services Information Point or a British Rail station or travel agent. This will tell you It is advisable to book a journey at least 48 hours in advance if you need help with getting on and off trains. Telephone the Disabled Assistance Booking Line on 0845 6008008.

If you need to change trains, you can telephone National Telephone Enquiries on 08457 484950 to get the times when connections between trains must be made.

Then Telephone the Disabled Assistance Booking Line 0845 6008008 to arrange help in transferring from train to train.

more help here..
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/MotoringAndTransport/PublicAndCommunityTransport/DG_4002764

td

Hi,

I'm not sure it's a compensation issue rather a sign of some of the ignorant people we have around nowadays. But I suppose to look at it from their point of view they get criticised for late trains etc and that may be at the forefront of their mind, not helping someone in need.

It's a real shame that we don't have so many people willing to help by offering their seat but if I'm really honest I would never offer to carrry anyone's bag because I wouldn't want them to think I was going to steal it which sadly I know I would think if someone offered to carry mine!

Sad world

td