Passenger Assist Issue

[LowLevel]

As a fit and able man I have actually used passenger assist a few times myself, if I'm travelling with a few bulky/heavy items of luggage and don't want to carry them off the train and out to the taxi by myself. There's no requirement to be "registered disabled" (as previously mentioned) so the service can technically be booked by anyone.

There is however a chance that the staff will say "nope" if you want them to move heavy/bulky items.

 

[bleeder4]

There is however a chance that the staff will say "nope" if you want them to move heavy/bulky items.

True, but the few times I've done it they've had one of those drivable trailers/carts that the luggage has been loaded into.

 

[RGM654]

Presumably it would be possible to store the ramp near to the cab? In terms of dwell times, whilst I recognise that the driver providing this assistance will add to them, assistance from any staff will extend dwell times and that's just an inherent part of providing the service.

As trains reverse at the ends of their journeys (and in a few other places) you would need a ramp near each end.

 

[TUC]

As a fit and able man I have actually used passenger assist a few times myself, if I'm travelling with a few bulky/heavy items of luggage and don't want to carry them off the train and out to the taxi by myself. There's no requirement to be "registered disabled" (as previously mentioned) so the service can technically be booked by anyone.

The problem being that this reduces the likelihood of staff availability for disabled people who need the assistance in order to be able to travel at all, as opposed to able bodied people who would find some support helpful. There's no inherent reason why staff should be expected to carry heavy items that you're not prepared to do for yourself.

 

[Travelmonkey]

My point is simply that the performance impact of putting the onus on drivers would disadvantage thousands by collapsing the train service.

None of it is right. The railway has to make assisted travel work reliably for everybody.

It shouldn't fall to the driver but they should be able to step up to the plate as & when needed!

 

[Haywain]

As a fit and able man I have actually used passenger assist a few times myself, if I'm travelling with a few bulky/heavy items of luggage and don't want to carry them off the train and out to the taxi by myself. There's no requirement to be "registered disabled" (as previously mentioned) so the service can technically be booked by anyone.

Sounds like you might be taking more luggage than the NRCoT permits.

 

[AlterEgo]

As a fit and able man I have actually used passenger assist a few times myself, if I'm travelling with a few bulky/heavy items of luggage and don't want to carry them off the train and out to the taxi by myself. There's no requirement to be "registered disabled" (as previously mentioned) so the service can technically be booked by anyone.

Please don’t book this service if you’re able bodied and simply “don’t want to carry” your luggage. The only reason it can “technically be booked by anyone” is because it’s discriminatory for the service provider to ask for proof of disability or infirmity.

This has the potential to take resources away from disabled and less mobile people.

 

[bleeder4]

Please don’t book this service if you’re able bodied and simply “don’t want to carry” your luggage. The only reason it can “technically be booked by anyone” is because it’s discriminatory for the service provider to ask for proof of disability or infirmity.

This has the potential to take resources away from disabled and less mobile people.

Oh I don't do it any more. It was just in my younger days. To be fair, if a service is intended to be used only by a specific set of people then ideally there would be checks to enforce that. If legislation prevents that from being done then I think the legislation needs a bit of fine-tuning. We already have the blue badge system which controls access to various services only intended for disabled people (such as wide parking bays) - perhaps it could be tied into that?

 

[KNN]

Please don’t book this service if you’re able bodied and simply “don’t want to carry” your luggage. The only reason it can “technically be booked by anyone” is because it’s discriminatory for the service provider to ask for proof of disability or infirmity.

This has the potential to take resources away from disabled and less mobile people.

Completely agree. It's not a free porter service.