Underground stations with access via stairs

[TUC]

TfL issue a lot of information showing which underground stations have step-free access. Whilst this is very helpful for passengers who cannot use steps, it is of limited use for people such as my wife who is a guide dog owner. Blind people can use stairs perfectly well. It is only escalators where there is difficulty if you have a guide dog (which is down to the dog not being able to cope with the escalator rather than anything to do with the person not being able to see).

There are many stations that do not have lifts but do have steps as an alternative to escalators. It would be really helpful in terms of planning journeys to know which these stations are. I've searched through the TfL website but all of their material seems focused on step-free access. I've also emailed TfL to ask if there is a list of stations with access vis stairs but didn't even get a reply.

The access guide for disabled passengers that TfL's predecessor used to issue in the early 90's had such a list, even down to describing the routes and numbers of steps at each station but I can't find anything like it now.

Does anyone know if such a list exists either on TfL's website or elsewhere?

 

[causton]

http://www.describe-online.com/lul/tubemap.htm

This may help - although isn't for all stations. Choose a tube line, a station, then General Description

There seems to be guide dog accessibility as well - e.g. at Tottenham Court Road:

"There is stairs-only but no step-free access through this station. We therefore believe the station is accessible to Guide Dog users, but not to wheelchairs."

 

[TUC]

That looks really useful thanks. Its a pity that TfL don't issue it themselves.

 

[Daniel]

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/avoiding-stairs-guide.pdf

This map appears to show which stations have escalators..?

 

[Mojo]

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/avoiding-stairs-guide.pdf

This map appears to show which stations have escalators..?

Not necessarily useful for the OP as there are a number of stations with a lift and stairs combination which he could use (eg. Goodge Street) and there are also stations where it is possible to avoid an escalator through use of a staircase (eg. Marylebone, Tottenham Court Road, Camden Town). There are locations shown as greyed out on that map that he would not be able to use, as well as those in colour which he would.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Not necessarily useful for the OP as there are a number of stations with a lift and stairs combination which he could use (eg. Goodge Street) and there are also stations where it is possible to avoid an escalator through use of a staircase (eg. Marylebone, Tottenham Court Road, Camden Town). There are locations shown as greyed out on that map that he would not be able to use, as well as those in colour which he would.

and often the best way in my experience is to ask staff at at your departure point - as my username would suggest, I too am visually impaired although not a dog user and have in general found lu staff v good at station/station management level. Even staff on a totally different part of the network have been great with route planning e.g avoiding stations undergoing work or where the alternative stairs etc are a long walk away etc.

My advice, even from experience of traveling with dog owners is ask before boarding your train.

 

[TUC]

and often the best way in my experience is to ask staff at at your departure point - as my username would suggest, I too am visually impaired although not a dog user and have in general found lu staff v good at station/station management level. Even staff on a totally different part of the network have been great with route planning e.g avoiding stations undergoing work or where the alternative stairs etc are a long walk away etc.

My advice, even from experience of traveling with dog owners is ask before boarding your train.

Not easy when you don't live in London and, as TfL don't publish a guide on stations with stair access, if you ring up TfL, the person at the other end isn't likely to be able to help you.
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[Blindtraveler]

Not easy when you don't live in London and, as TfL don't publish a guide on stations with stair access, if you ring up TfL, the person at the other end isn't likely to be able to help you.
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if i know roughly where i'm going I email in advance and tend to get a good response to even more dificult questions. I live in Edinburgh and have little or nothing to complain about Re TFL

 

[firespire]

You need to use this website -
http://www.directenquiries.com/londonunderground.aspx

 

[Mike395]

You need to use this website -
http://www.directenquiries.com/londonunderground.aspx

Not useful in this case sadly, all stations are marked as guide dog friendly even when escalators are the only way to enter or exit it (Holborn being one example)

 

[Daniel]

Not useful in this case sadly, all stations are marked as guide dog friendly even when escalators are the only way to enter or exit it (Holborn being one example)

Well they are - I'm quite sure that our procedures state that, if no alternative is available, an escalator has to be stopped for a guide dog.

 

[TUC]

Well they are - I'm quite sure that our procedures state that, if no alternative is available, an escalator has to be stopped for a guide dog.

Not quite. TfL's website (at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/transportaccessibility/1169.aspx#platform -see the section on 'getting to the platform' partway down the page) states that busy times it may not be possible to stop an escalator immediately. It also suggests slightly bizarrely that you ould carry your dog if you wished. Carrying a large labrador or german shepherd up an escalator, especially if you can't see, would be an interesting challenge to say the least!

Certainly when my wife and I were travelling in London and came to a station with only escalator access, whilst the staff were friendly and sought to help, they did not offer to stop an escalator, they just advised whether the nearest station with alternatives were-and this was on a Sunday afternoon, not rush hour.

Its also more difficult in practice. If you can't see how do you find a member of staff to stop the escalator, especially if the nearest ones are at the top of the escalator and you're at the bottom? It also takes a certain amount of self-confidence on the guide dog owner's part to push for it if its not offered and, whilst we would do that these days, not everyone has that confidence.

 

[Mojo]

An example at Victoria due to the escalator works where during certain hours staff have been instructed not to turn the escalators off due to the works. Even doing it elsewhere would cause absolute chaos in peak hours.

The byelaws were going to be amended to allow for guide dogs to be walked down escalators, as I understand some models are okay with this.

 

[Blindtraveler]

An example at Victoria due to the escalator works where during certain hours staff have been instructed not to turn the escalators off due to the works. Even doing it elsewhere would cause absolute chaos in peak hours.

The byelaws were going to be amended to allow for guide dogs to be walked down escalators, as I understand some models are okay with this.

which in theory is a great idea but in practice will not I dont think be taken to well by the doggy owning communitty - as the partner of a dog owner I know she woant be ammused but her dog, being the ambiciouse type I dont think wil mind.

 

[Daniel]

Not quite. TfL's website (at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/transportaccessibility/1169.aspx#platform -see the section on 'getting to the platform' partway down the page) states that busy times it may not be possible to stop an escalator immediately. It also suggests slightly bizarrely that you ould carry your dog if you wished. Carrying a large labrador or german shepherd up an escalator, especially if you can't see, would be an interesting challenge to say the least!

May not be able to stop immedietly, that's quite correct, but if there are no altervatives then something should be arranged....

31.3 Use of escalators by customers with dogs

"Only use this procedure if the dog is too large to be carried and there are no lifts or stairways available."

Before stopping an escaltor to assist a customer with a dog, you must position a staff member at both ends of the escalator (if available).

You must place a barrier across both ends of the escalator using the barriers provided (not the engineers barrier).

When you have checked that the escalator is clear, you can stop the escalator and allow the customer to walk the dog on the escalator.

When the customer and the dog are clear of the escalator, you can restart the escalator.

 

[firespire]

Not useful in this case sadly, all stations are marked as guide dog friendly even when escalators are the only way to enter or exit it (Holborn being one example)

I find it extremely useful, are you missing how you use it?
You click the black rectangles to select route and where you are going then you tell it what you can't use and can prioritise what you are able to.

Then it calculates any routes you can take, giving you number of steps and walking distances etc. The photos of the route are only useful to people without visual impalement.

For the example of Holborn you give, when I tell it no escalators, it is able to give me the nearest station on the line that I told it I wanted to use which meet my requirements that I am able to use.

 

[Mojo]

I find it extremely useful, are you missing how you use it?
You click the black rectangles to select route and where you are going then you tell it what you can't use and can prioritise what you are able to.

Then it calculates any routes you can take, giving you number of steps and walking distances etc. The photos of the route are only useful to people without visual impalement.

For the example of Holborn you give, when I tell it no escalators, it is able to give me the nearest station on the line that I told it I wanted to use which meet my requirements that I am able to use.

I select Leicester Square and say I want to travel on the Piccadilly line, and mark escalators with an ''X'' and it still puts me on the escalator (as that is the only way down). I get exactly the same thing at Holborn.

This only works in one direction, when you select ''Platform to street.''