Wheelchair issues

[Failed Unit]

Yesterday I attempted to make a journey with a Wheelchair user from London Bridge- Welwyn Garden City.

The first part of the problem I probably should have known about in advance. The lifts from the concourse to Platform 4&5 were not working. (Although as the user asked how would they know it impacted their journey)

Before entering the station I did know there was an issue at St Pancras. So i asked the Gate assistant what it was. He said there wasn’t want despite national rail saying there was. The objective was therefore change at Finsbury Park (which also has a lift issue)

The guidance was to use the Jubilee line, by the staff at London Bridge. TfL planner said go northern which we did. This part was fine until we got to King’s Cross. The wide gate is at the extreme end of the gate line. The assistance is the middle. So I had to leave the wheelchair user and ask the person to open the gate (the ticket was a Thameslink - WGC one)

A lot of unnecessary extra work. No idea what they would have done had we wanted to go Brighton. This kind of thing is really putting the wheelchair user off using the train. Along with the silly things like the ramp in the wrong place and long queues to use the lifts because of people with heavy baggage.

Is this experience typical or bad luck. (Looks like the lift a London Bridge is fixed)

 

[Travelmonkey]

I know when I went through recently and they sorted me a taxi to Euston, although lifts are a big issue for most of my pear shaped trips.

 

[styles]

I wouldn't say it's typical, but sadly it's not unheard of.

The London Underground network is particularly bad for accessibility though owing to being constructed so long ago before people really considered ramps for example. They manage to put lifts in, which is fine, until they break down.

Staff really should be more coordinated when it comes to information on broken lifts etc though. I think that's probably worthy of a complaint to TfL, as they may need to do training or review their internal communication about live accessibility problems at stations.

The thing which irritates me most though is the need for a companion. Like in your ticket gate scenario. Or if a wheelchair user gets stuck on a train because the ramp doesn't turn up, many are probably reluctant to use the emergency alarm, but how else do you get the attention of somebody who can help. If you've got a companion they can alight and flag somebody down to come help, but this reliance on companions removes independence.

 

[Failed Unit]

Yes the lifts are a massive problem. In most stations they only have 1 so if it fails we have a problem. At large stations like Kings Cross when a train from Edinburgh to come in waiting 30 minutes to get from the street to the ticket hall is not uncommon at peak tourism times with all the suitcases using the lifts as well.

St Pancras the lift between the A Platform and the Concourse has being out of services for at least 1 week. This effectively makes Thameslink in accessible. The recommendation is to use Farringdon instead and go by tube. I saw a couple of people using Kings Cross and changing at Finsbury Park (for Peterborough) and another one doing Finsbury Park - Letchworth having to head into Kings Cross and then double back at Kings Cross. St Pancras (Thameslink) is new, I am not sure if it was a cost or space compromise to only have single lifts.

In a perfect world London Bridge would have had 2 pre platform. I have a feeling that the lift actually failed that day. However considering the staff at London Bridge are famed for not letting Thameslink passengers use the escalators with suitcases (we have seen the ”bowling videos“ where someone has lost control of the suitcase on the escalator to see why.

Will definitely write to TfL and Thameslink.TfL are very good in general, they have a few areas they can improve.If you look at Moorgate as an example Circle / H&C and Met step free from the train to platform. Easy. Northern - varied step free accesss - What exactly does that mean?

 

[Millsy_2102]

My grandad has extremely severe COPD and needs a mobility scooter. He travelled to a station in London, not sure which one though, and they told him to leave his scooter there and a staff member pushed him in a wheelchair and helped him board his bus since it is easier with a wheelchair, he said that is the nicest interaction he's ever had with station staff.

 

[Horizon22]

TfL Go is an absolute must for anything on the TfL Network to check lift status. Following some high-profile incidents, it is covered very closely and everything is coordinated through LUCC/RCC for all lines that can change the step-free status in a matter of minutes on various platforms.

Of course you could get very unlucky and a lift might go out of service whilst you are travelling, or they simply do not exist at the preferred interchange / destination requiring a elongated journey. There might also be busy when you try and use them which again, is hard to mitigate given many space considerations and especially at somewhere like Kings Cross St Pancras with lots of long-distance and international travellers going through.

Network Rail and other TOCs are a little less coordinated, but still not awful. Some room for improvement and I'm sure the relevant operators will appreciate your feedback.

 

[jon0844]

GTR will announce if some lifts are out at a station when it announces the train arrival, but staff need to check which actual lifts.

It does mean you may be told about lifts that don't impact you, but it may impact you later so I guess it's still useful to know regardless.

If assistance is booked then staff should check all this and I assume the passenger assist service alters bookings or warns of things like broken lifts?

 

[Spartacus]

The London Underground network is particularly bad for accessibility though owing to being constructed so long ago before people really considered ramps for example. They manage to put lifts in, which is fine, until they break down.

I visited Paris a month or so ago and used the Metro quite extensively. To say the London Underground is head and shoulders above is an understatement; there must be a huge proportion of the Paris Metro that's a no-go zone if you can't do stairs for whatever reason, and where there are lifts they're often badly signed, if at all. The less said about the exits gates that you need to turn your outstretched arm body into a human battering ram to open the better, probably dangerous to the small or infirm.

 

[styles]

I visited Paris a month or so ago and used the Metro quite extensively. To say the London Underground is head and shoulders above is an understatement; there must be a huge proportion of the Paris Metro that's a no-go zone if you can't do stairs for whatever reason, and where there are lifts they're often badly signed, if at all. The less said about the exits gates that you need to turn your outstretched arm body into a human battering ram to open the better, probably dangerous to the small or infirm.

Oh I agree by international standards the UK is ahead of the game in many respects.

I don't particularly like the Paris Metro at all tbh.

 

[Travelmonkey]

Give me the Newcastle metro any day, although I do still struggle with the old units.

TFL Go is such a good resource for me both in oyster card and acessibility. It's hard being a wheelchair user and the tube is grandfathered in with many stations and even the shiny new Elizabeth line needs ramps on its external tendrils,

 

[Haywain]

If assistance is booked requested then staff should check all this and I assume the passenger assist service alters bookings or warns of things like broken lifts?

Amended that for you.

 

[jon0844]

Amended that for you.

Not sure why you needed to change this? If I book using the Passenger Assist app and select a specific itinerary, then do staff let me know if something happens that might prevent travel? Will a taxi be booked if the service is suspended, or do you need to turn up at the station anyway?

I'd consider this booking, not requesting?

 

[Failed Unit]

TfL Go is an absolute must for anything on the TfL Network to check lift status. Following some high-profile incidents, it is covered very closely and everything is coordinated through LUCC/RCC for all lines that can change the step-free status in a matter of minutes on various platforms.

Of course you could get very unlucky and a lift might go out of service whilst you are travelling, or they simply do not exist at the preferred interchange / destination requiring a elongated journey. There might also be busy when you try and use them which again, is hard to mitigate given many space considerations and especially at somewhere like Kings Cross St Pancras with lots of long-distance and international travellers going through.

Network Rail and other TOCs are a little less coordinated, but still not awful. Some room for improvement and I'm sure the relevant operators will appreciate your feedback.

Thanks - TfL to be fair there was nothing that they could do (as the ticket was never going to be read by the barrier as they were passing us, because GTR couldn't do the direct route)

I will write to GTR - just so they have a chance of taking action on the feedback.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2025 ==

Not sure why you needed to change this? If I book using the Passenger Assist app and select a specific itinerary, then do staff let me know if something happens that might prevent travel? Will a taxi be booked if the service is suspended, or do you need to turn up at the station anyway?

I'd consider this booking, not requesting?

However it is dressed up, if you are doing a journey with changes it only takes one incident to mess up the journey. I have had a few occasions when I have asked staff at WGC why assistance didn't appear. You need to take people at their word but they frequently say the request never got to them.

 

[Haywain]

Not sure why you needed to change this? If I book using the Passenger Assist app and select a specific itinerary, then do staff let me know if something happens that might prevent travel?

Because the correct information being available should not be reliant on booking assistance, it should be the same for turn up and go passengers as well.

Will a taxi be booked if the service is suspended, or do you need to turn up at the station anyway?

You would need to turn up at the station, the same as anyone else. The alternative transport may be accessible anyway.

 

[Kieran_MF135]

I wouldn't say it's typical, but sadly it's not unheard of.

The London Underground network is particularly bad for accessibility though owing to being constructed so long ago before people really considered ramps for example. They manage to put lifts in, which is fine, until they break down.

Staff really should be more coordinated when it comes to information on broken lifts etc though. I think that's probably worthy of a complaint to TfL, as they may need to do training or review their internal communication about live accessibility problems at stations.

The thing which irritates me most though is the need for a companion. Like in your ticket gate scenario. Or if a wheelchair user gets stuck on a train because the ramp doesn't turn up, many are probably reluctant to use the emergency alarm, but how else do you get the attention of somebody who can help. If you've got a companion they can alight and flag somebody down to come help, but this reliance on companions removes independence.

I always stuck to pull emergency alarm when staff fail to show up with ramp. The issue with mobile assistant never showing up etc , on DDO , TFL on tube have issued as well as some tubes stops I do need ramp and few times on bakerloo line had to pass com and stuff struggled to reset it do feel bad but I'm stuck with risk of being over carried to inaccbile stations

 

[styles]

I always stuck to pull emergency alarm when staff fail to show up with ramp. The issue with mobile assistant never showing up etc , on DDO , TFL on tube have issued as well as some tubes stops I do need ramp and few times on bakerloo line had to pass com and stuff struggled to reset it do feel bad but I'm stuck with risk of being over carried to inaccbile stations

Yeah, this is what I've told relatives of mine who are wheelchair users or have mobility issues. I reckon a fair few passengers would be reluctant though, because they don't consider it an 'emergency', plus they sometimes come with warnings of £1,000 fines for improper use.

 

[jon0844]

Because the correct information being available should not be reliant on booking assistance, it should be the same for turn up and go passengers as well.

You would need to turn up at the station, the same as anyone else. The alternative transport may be accessible anyway.

It will be for turn up and go, but then you'll only know when you meet the staff member. I was referring to booked assists, where you'd hope they have full access to the info to tell you if a lift is out - and book a taxi in advance so you're not waiting if that's the only valid alternative.

 

[Horizon22]

It will be for turn up and go, but then you'll only know when you meet the staff member. I was referring to booked assists, where you'd hope they have full access to the info to tell you if a lift is out - and book a taxi in advance so you're not waiting if that's the only valid alternative.

Booked assistance still has the same pitfalls though - the lift may go out of service after you’ve booked which requires on the day rerouting.

 

[Haywain]

and book a taxi in advance so you're not waiting if that's the only valid alternative.

And then you don't show up...

 

[jon0844]

And then you don't show up...

Why would you not turn up if you've booked ahead? The app does allow you to check in when you've arrived, but while people have every right to turn up and go, I can't see why someone would be contacted and have alternative arrangements made but then not show.

I guess they have the right to, but it doesn't seem likely unless of course they simply got delayed elsewhere or something.

 

[Haywain]

Why would you not turn up if you've booked ahead?

Because life (and death) gets in the way sometimes, and requiring assistance to get on and off trains doesn't change that. Maybe you're ill, or the taxi has broken down, or your boiler has broken - all manner of things can cause a no-show.

 

[jon0844]

Because life (and death) gets in the way sometimes, and requiring assistance to get on and off trains doesn't change that. Maybe you're ill, or the taxi has broken down, or your boiler has broken - all manner of things can cause a no-show.

Yeah, you could get hit by a bus. But assuming an asteroid doesn't land on your house, I'd expect most people do turn up.

 

[Haywain]

I'd expect most people do turn up.

If most is 90% then so would I.

 

[Travelmonkey]

I always stuck to pull emergency alarm when staff fail to show up with ramp. The issue with mobile assistant never showing up etc , on DDO , TFL on tube have issued as well as some tubes stops I do need ramp and few times on bakerloo line had to pass com and stuff struggled to reset it do feel bad but I'm stuck with risk of being over carried to inaccbile stations

There is a big issue at DOO stations even taxi arrangements can be hit and miss as we both know.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Aug 2025 ==

Because life (and death) gets in the way sometimes, and requiring assistance to get on and off trains doesn't change that. Maybe you're ill, or the taxi has broken down, or your boiler has broken - all manner of things can cause a no-show.

Indeed I've missed many trains due to broken or non existing buses. That's why TUAG rights are quite rightly still a thing.