Yeovil to Worle

[Kath123]

Hi All

I think I know the answer to this but I need to be absolutely sure I’ve got it right.

I am registered severely sight impaired.

I have been summoned for jury service at Taunton Crown Court in November. Today the Court telephoned me to discuss reasonable adjustments I would need due to my disability however they have also had to inform me that Taunton Crown Court is currently closed and the case I am due to be a juror on will now be heard at the Court in Worle.

I live in Yeovil and public transport links to get to Taunton are poor. Worle is even worse.

The member of staff who spoke to me today from the Court recommended I ask to be excused due to the transport situation. Obviously I can’t drive due to my severe visual impairment.

I feel my only option now is to ask to be excused as recommended but I feel a bit disappointed I won’t get to be a juror.

Before I ask to be excused I just wanted to check that I haven’t missed anything. Do others agree that there isn’t really a realistic way I could travel by public transport from Yeovil to Worle daily to attend the court?

Also can anyone confirm is Worle most often an unstaffed station? I book assistance to travel and usually need sighted guidance to navigate stations.

Many thanks for any help…..

PS I have a disabled railcard and a Concessionary bus pass (bus pass eligible for use after 9:30am weekdays)

 

[redreni]

The suggestion that you ask to be excused is probably intended to be helpful, as a lot of people don't really want to serve and would be grateful to be offered a way out, but it strikes me as wholly inappropriate.

His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service is a large organisation with a budget in the hundreds of millions of pounds and it certainly has the means to provide or reimburse taxis for a juror as a reasonable adjustment. I would ask them to do that, and if they say they can't ask to speak to the somebody more senior until you get a sensible response. They wouldn't provide taxis for jurors normally, but they should if it's what you need to be able to serve as a juror.

They shouldn't be filtering the jury according to who can or can't drive - what if there's a motoring offence to be tried?

 

[jfollows]

https://www.gov.uk/jury-service/what-you-can-claim-if-youre-an-employee says

Taxi	The fare - ask the court for permission before using a taxi

 

[Hadders]

According to National Rail Enquiries Worle station has a ticket office open from 06:00 until 09:30 but is otherwise unstaffed. It might be better to consider a train to Weston Super Mare as that station is staffed, and get a taxi from there to the court. That said, journey opportunities from either Yeovil station to Weston arriving before 10:00 look rather limited.

I agree with @redreni that they really should be making better a better effort at making reasonable adjustments, and I would try that route.

 

[Kath123]

The suggestion that you ask to be excused is probably intended to be helpful, as a lot of people don't really want to serve and would be grateful to be o.

His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service is a large organisation with a budget in the hundreds of millions of pounds and it certainly has the means to provide or reimburse taxis for a juror as a reasonable adjustment. I would ask them to do that, and if they say they can't ask to speak to the somebody more senior until you get a sensible response. They wouldn't provide taxis for jurors normally, but they should if it's what you need to be able to serve as a juror.

They shouldn't be filtering the jury according to who can or can't drive - what if there's a motoring offence to be tried?

https://www.gov.uk/jury-service/what-you-can-claim-if-youre-an-employee says

Thank you both for the speedy replies.

In my case I am quite keen to serve. I was interested in potentially working in the courts when I was younger and applied for a few vacancies but it came to nothing.

We discussed briefly about whether they would reimburse taxis. I didn’t get a definite answer but I felt they strongly implied not. I guess maybe as the court is 41 miles from my home it would cost them a lot. Also if they are reimbursing it I guess I have to find the money first.

They say they have excused other people from the Yeovil area who have been due to do jury service but also aren’t able to drive.

 

[JonathanH]

Do others agree that there isn’t really a realistic way I could travel by public transport from Yeovil to Worle daily to attend the court?

If someone had to travel from Yeovil to Worle they would most likely need to leave Yeovil Pen Mill at 0618 and travel via Bristol, changing at Temple Meads. The arrival is just before 9am. That essentially isn't practical though.

 

[Halwynd]

If it's something you'd like to experience then yes, I too would suggest requesting a taxi. Given the poor public transport links I don't see how they could reasonably refuse.

 

[jfollows]

If it's something you'd like to experience then yes, I too would suggest requesting a taxi. Given the poor public transport links I don't see how they could reasonably refuse.

Yes, you could phrase it that you’re keen and more than happy to do jury service but only if they pay for a taxi, and I’d expect at that point they’ll waffle a bit and excuse you. But at least you didn’t ask them to be excused!

 

[redreni]

82 miles a day in a taxi would indeed cost a fair amount, but I doubt that's what they're worried about. It really is nothing in the context of what it costs to run a Crown Court for a day.

I do hope they're not trying to use the difficulty of getting to the court as a convenient excuse not to have to provide the other adjustments that you may need in court. I think it's really important that juries are drawn from the whole community. Filtering out people with disabilities because it might be slightly inconvenient to accommodate them really isn't on.

 

[Haywain]

It really is nothing in the context of what it costs to run a Crown Court for a day.

That’s easy to say but the courts service is severely cash strapped. I am afraid that the only ‘reasonable adjustment’ that the OP will receive is being excused from attending.

 

[redreni]

That’s easy to say but the courts service is severely cash strapped. I am afraid that the only ‘reasonable adjustment’ that the OP will receive is being excused from attending.

Well, there's a few things wrong with that.

Firstly, the decision to excuse is not up to the court, it's up to the Central Jury Summoning Bureau, and people can only be excused if they ask to be. Since the OP is keen to serve, I assume that won't be the case.

And excusing somebody is not a reasonable adjustment, anyway. People can sometimes be excused jury service on the basis of a disability, not because it's a reasonable adjustment but because it's in the statutory criteria governing applications by the person summoned to be excused jury service. But that's only if the person's disability prevents them from doing jury service:

Jury service

What to do if you're asked to do jury service - taking time off work, delaying jury service, claiming expenses. Includes information from the withdrawn 5222, 5222A and Juror Charter guidance.

www.gov.uk

If it’s not possible for you to do jury service in the next 12 months, you can ask to be excused. You’ll only be allowed to do this in exceptional circumstances, for example:

• you have a serious illness or disability that prevents you from doing jury service
• you’re a full time carer of someone with an illness or disability
• you’re a new parent and will not be able to serve at any other time in the next 12 months

You can also ask to be excused from jury service if you’ve done it in the last 2 years.


If you do not do jury service this time, you could still receive a summons in the future.

Unless I have missed the bit where it says disabled people can be excluded from serving on a jury if HMCTS is 'strapped for cash', it wouldn't appear to be in there.

The Judiciary of England & Wales also publishes an Equal Treatment Benchbook which states:

Jury service and disability
62. Disabled people are called for jury service on the same basis as non-disabled people. By
s.9B Juries Act 1974, it is for the judge to determine whether or not a person should act as
a juror. The presumption is that they should so act unless the judge is of the opinion that the
person will not, on account of disability, be capable of acting effectively as a juror, in which
case that person should be discharged.
63. The statutory criteria for disqualification from jury service focuses on a person’s lack of
mental capacity, 141 as defined in the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Physical disability is not, in
and of itself, a barrier to jury service. Whether a physical impairment creates a barrier to jury
service may depend in whole or in part on the nature of the particular criminal case for which
the potential juror has been selected. The court is under a duty to make reasonable
adjustment for witnesses, defendants and jurors with disabilities. Adjustments such as
wheelchair accessibility and fully functioning loop hearing systems are reasonably
commonplace in courtrooms these days.
64. The jury summons requests information on impairment or disability from potential jurors but
that is often overlooked or missed until the potential juror is already at court and cannot be
accommodated within the timeframe for a trial. The judge must consider a disabled person’s
right to expect reasonable adjustments which might allow them to be an effective jury
participant. The decision must be compatible with the defendant’s right to a fair trial.

If HMCTS baulks at paying taxi costs for the whole journey, perhaps a compromise might be a taxi to Taunton, train to Weston or Worle, then another taxi at the other end if necessary?

It must be remembered that if the OP could drive, HMCTS would happily pay her mileage, but that is not possible because she is severely sight impaired. So I really don't think they can reasonably insist the OP gets up at stupid o'clock each morning and doesn't get home until stupid o'clock each evening because they won't provide a taxi as a reasonable adjustment.

 

[30907]

Leaving Yeovil (Platform 1!) at 0735 you would be at Worle 0951 which seems more reasonable but is probably too late.

 

[Haywain]

And excusing somebody is not a reasonable adjustment, anyway.

I didn't say it was, I said it is likely to be what happens.

 

[Gloster]

Looking at the walk from Worle station to the court, there are a number or roads to cross: in particular, either Commercial Road or Bristol Road have to be crossed at a point where there are no lights. I would consider this to be less than optimum and I am merely a slow-mover. There really needs to be a taxi from the station, so Weston-super-Mud might be better as a starting point.

A further point is that, if there are no staff after 09.30 at Worle, there could be a problem with this when making the return journey.

I would seriously be considering saying that, although you are willing to serve at Taunton, Worle is just too difficult to reach from Yeovil.

 

[redreni]

Deferral until Taunton Crown Court reopens could be a reasonable solution, although the Court Finder says it's closed "until further notice" which doesn't inspire much confidence that a six month deferral would see it re-open.

 

[anothertyke]

Looking at the walk from Worle station to the court, there are a number or roads to cross: in particular, either Commercial Road or Bristol Road have to be crossed at a point where there are no lights. I would consider this to be less than optimum and I am merely a slow-mover. There really needs to be a taxi from the station, so Weston-super-Mud might be better as a starting point.

A further point is that, if there are no staff after 09.30 at Worle, there could be a problem with this when making the return journey.

I would seriously be considering saying that, although you are willing to serve at Taunton, Worle is just too difficult to reach from Yeovil.

I agree. Say you are keen to serve but Worle is not practical given your disabilities and ask for your service to be deferred to the time when Taunton is reopened. Lots of people defer for worse reasons than that!

It looks like a 90 min bus ride to Taunton but I guess that is just about doable.

 

[redreni]

Funnily enough, although deferral for a bespoke period until the court re-opens sounds like an easier and cheaper option than paying for taxis, such are the vagaries of jury summoning and selection that I doubt if it's possible.

No harm in deferring for the standard period of six months to see if it re-opens - at worst you'd be in the same position again in six months time.

 

[WolvertonWorks]

I would also bring this to the attention of my MP - if you are willing to serve then it is up to the courts service to enable you to do this, doing otherwise is discriminatory.

 

[Kath123]

According to National Rail Enquiries Worle station has a ticket office open from 06:00 until 09:30 but is otherwise unstaffed. It might be better to consider a train to Weston Super Mare as that station is staffed, and get a taxi from there to the court. That said, journey opportunities from either Yeovil station to Weston arriving before 10:00 look rather limited.

I agree with @redreni that they really should be making better a better effort at making reasonable adjustments, and I would try that route.

Thank you for your advice and suggesting Weston Super Mare @Hadders . I hadn’t thought of that. I’m not hopeful about reasonable adjustments.

Leaving Yeovil (Platform 1!) at 0735 you would be at Worle 0951 which seems more reasonable but is probably too late.

Thank you (very glad it would be from platform 1!)

Deferral until Taunton Crown Court reopens could be a reasonable solution, although the Court Finder says it's closed "until further notice" which doesn't inspire much confidence that a six month deferral would see it re-open.

Thank you for your posts and support. I asked yesterday whether I could defer until Taunton Crown Court re-opens. The staff member said maybe but they weren’t sure as they think it will be over a year before Taunton Crown Court reopens. I’m a bit confused about this as media articles seem to suggest it reopening in early 2025. They sounded very unconvinced I’ll be able to defer.

I agree. Say you are keen to serve but Worle is not practical given your disabilities and ask for your service to be deferred to the time when Taunton is reopened. Lots of people defer for worse reasons than that!

It looks like a 90 min bus ride to Taunton but I guess that is just about doable.

It is 90 mins bus ride to Taunton. The length doesn’t really bother me. I’m used to sitting on buses (our Yeovil to Bristol bus is a 3 hour journey!) - I’d be more concerned about the frequency and reliability of the service and also the possibility of having to travel in the dark. But as you say it might just be doable.



Thank you for everyone’s help. I know in some ways this thread is slightly different than the type of things that are normally helped with here but I had an inkling people might be able to give some good advice. The court want me to e-Mail them and the Central Jury Summoning Bureau by next week stating what I want to do. The only other option they’ve given apart from those already mentioned is that I make a pre court visit and then decide what to do however the staff member I spoke to did not appear to recommend this as they say they have spoken to the Court Manager and absolutely no expenses will be given in relation to anything (including travel) for a pre court visit.

 

[reb0118]

I'm a conductor based in Scotland so the experience here may be different. But I've certainly known taxi drivers to meet visually impaired passengers on the platform upon arrival at an unstaffed station.

So, with that in mind could/would the court organise a taxi, with the proviso that the driver assists you to & from the platform, from Worle station to the court & v.v..

Another alternative, albeit unlikely, would be for a court usher to meet you at the station if possible.

I think it's important that you should be able to attend if you so desire. Good luck in your endeavours.

 

[Egg Centric]

Presumably there's no way whatsoever of the court service finding a juror who lives nearby to OP to give them a lift?

 

[redreni]

Presumably there's no way whatsoever of the court service finding a juror who lives nearby to OP to give them a lift?

Not in advance, I wouldn't have thought.

Not all the jurors summoned in the week in question will be selected for a trial. There's no way of knowing if one or both of any two jurors will be selected at all, or if they are both selected, whether it would be on the same trial or different trials. If it's different trials, they may not be told to come to the court at the same time each morning, the two courts may not adjourn at the same or similar times each day and one trial may last longer than the other.

Once jurors are selected for a trial, car sharing between jurors on the same trial would make sense (though I doubt court staff would arrange it).

 

[Egg Centric]

Not in advance, I wouldn't have thought.

Not all the jurors summoned in the week in question will be selected for a trial. There's no way of knowing if one or both of any two jurors will be selected at all, or if they are both selected, whether it would be on the same trial or different trials. If it's different trials, they may not be told to come to the court at the same time each morning, the two courts may not adjourn at the same or similar times each day and one trial may last longer than the other.

Once jurors are selected for a trial, car sharing between jurors on the same trial would make sense (though I doubt court staff would arrange it).

I suspected as much - was hoping that maybe there was a way a pair of jurors could have been considered a "package deal"...

 

[Gloster]

I would have thought that one problem with jurors sharing a vehicle is that there is possibility that they might start discussing the case. If I understand correctly, they are not supposed to discuss the case except in court, including the jury room. The possibility that two jurors travelling together might come to an erroneous understanding and then influence the others on an incorrect basis is best avoided. It is not very likely, but definitely to be prevented.

 

[redreni]

I don't think discussion of the case by a subset of the jury in private is in itself considered problematic, as long as they make sure they cannot be overheard.

I would agree, however, the potential for problems probably increases the more the jurors have contact with each other outside the court setting, which is why I doubt very much court staff would help with the arrangements even if they had time to do so (which they probably don't).

 

[Haywain]

I would have thought that one problem with jurors sharing a vehicle is that there is possibility that they might start discussing the case.

Another problem is that if anything prevents the driver turning up it then means two are missing. I believe there are cases that have continued with 11 jurors, but reducing further would be more problematic.

 

[LYradial]

My experience was that you will be extremely lucky to get a case, it was only on the last of five days that we did not get sent home after lunch, and the the defendant pleaded not guilty at the last minute so we all never got hear a case.

remember that you you might get a case that goes on for weeks

 

[Skiddaw]

My experience was that you will be extremely lucky to get a case, it was only on the last of five days that we did not get sent home after lunch, and the the defendant pleaded not guilty at the last minute so we all never got hear a case.

remember that you you might get a case that goes on for weeks

Yes, but from my experience of jury service they asked for volunteers when forming a jury for a trial that was expected to last longer than a fortnight. They're pretty clued up on how long a trial is likely to take. I was lucky- I was picked for a case on my first day, which lasted for 10 days (after which we were excused).

OP, I really think you should try pushing the taxi issue. I know HMRC are cash-strapped but to my mind that's insufficient grounds for effectively disenfranchising someone with a disabilty who wants to exercise their public duty. It's an experience I'm very glad I had and you should have that opportunity too. Good luck....

 

[Starmill]

In my opinion people should only ask to be excused completely of their own free choice to do so. Unfortunately that's a tad idealistic, but that would be my starting position.

In my opinion a taxi for part of the journey is totally reasonable plus a train for the part(s) where feasible.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Oct 2024 ==

I agree. Say you are keen to serve but Worle is not practical given your disabilities and ask for your service to be deferred to the time when Taunton is reopened. Lots of people defer for worse reasons than that!

It looks like a 90 min bus ride to Taunton but I guess that is just about doable.

I agree with this very much, if you've been asked to attend Worle in place of Taunton they should consider thoroughly if you can still attend Taunton at another time.