Are train companies doing enough to help disabled passengers?

This is a guest post by Hollie-Anne Brooks. All views expressed are her own and not necessarily those also shared by Which?.

Which?’s TrainPain campaign has been highlighting and protesting against mistreatment of passengers for years: from frequent delays, to rip-off prices, to a lack of visible communication about your consumer rights. But how does travelling as a disabled passenger fare?

After recently falling ill with meningitis, I’ve gone from being an every day commuter to a wheelchair user who cannot get out much.

Over the past month, I’ve faced shocking treatment on trains that has now stopped me from travelling alone – something no-one should ever feel scared or intimated to do.

The situation’s gotten so bad, I’ve taken to filming and speaking out in public against Greater Anglia’s patronising and discriminatory behaviour to highlight an issue that I believe is sadly happening across the UK.

Wheelchair access

Just the other day, a Greater Anglia train from Norwich to Colchester saw my designated wheelchair space used as a catering cart and tea and coffee served from it.

The reality of being a wheelchair user on a @greateranglia train. They’re using my wheelchair space as a kitchen. Amazing service from the platform staff but apparently staff are told to use wheelchair space for catering for first class if coach H is out of order. pic.twitter.com/vHobSdMhJM

— Hollie Brooks (@HollieAnneB) August 30, 2018

Instead of the space I requested, which allowed my boyfriend to assist me, I was placed in an unsafe spot with boxes of food and water piled up by my feet – blocking my ability to alight from the train.

Part of the problem for disabled passengers is the fact that you have to pre-book every bit of assistance around 24 hours before you travel, taking away any sort of spontaneity.

With different rail companies across the UK having different processes and ways of booking, assistance is already a struggle before you start. And the reality is, it’s hit-and-miss whether you’ll even be provided with it.

Left stranded

Another ever-present risk is that there won’t be a ramp ready at your arrival station – and you’ll be left on the train unable to get off.

This has happened to me in the past, and I’ve had to ask members of the public to step in and jam doors open so the train can’t leave until a member of staff has sorted a ramp for me.

This is clearly unacceptable and a constant and very real worry for disabled passengers.

Getting on the train often isn’t much easier. Recently a train left without me because waiting for my wheelchair ramp would have caused the already late-running train to be even later.

Please @greateranglia @GreaterAngliaPR tell me why it’s ok to leave without me when I was there in plenty of time and several people were made aware of my booking. All because a ramp would delay your already late train. You have no idea what you’re doing to my mental health! pic.twitter.com/iR1ibbj8KK

— Hollie Brooks (@HollieAnneB) September 5, 2018

I had to watch as those who could easily walk onto the train got on and set off on their journeys as I was left crying on the platform, my pre-organised trip ruined. All this despite double checking about assistance and being on time.

Speaking out

So, what’s to be done? Complain to staff members at the stations and, in my experience, it falls on deaf ears – there’s a palpable lack of awareness about the problems disabled passengers face. Maybe this is down to a lack of staff training by rail companies.

If you make a formal complaint to the rail company then I’ve found you can expect to wait a while for a reply that feels like a copy and paste, blaming staffing or signalling issues.

But if enough of us are vocal on this issue, we can make change happen.

If you see a disabled passenger having difficulty on a train, or trying to board or alight from one, contact the rail company and your local MP and let them know how unhappy you are at their treatment of disabled passengers.

Raising awareness

If it’s happening to you, shout about it. If you’re able to film incidents on a smartphone, do it. Complain to your train provider and, from November, take it to the rail ombudsman if you’re not happy with the response.

Speak to your local MP and, if you think a law has been broken, use the government’s Equality Advisory Support Service for more information.

Finally, share your stories – whether you’re a disabled passenger or not. The more we speak, the louder we’re heard – if not by the train companies themselves then by government and its regulators.

Have you encountered similar problems using trains as a disabled passenger? How could rail travel be improved for those with access needs?

This is a guest post by Hollie-Anne Brooks. All views expressed are her own and not necessarily those also shared by Which?.

We offered Greater Anglia a Right of Reply to Hollie-Anne’s experience. A Greater Anglia spokesperson said:

“We’re sorry that Hollie’s recent travel experience has not been as easy as we would like it to be. We have offered to meet her so we can apologise personally and discuss how we can help her to travel by rail more easily. We are waiting to hear from her.

“Meeting Hollie would give us the opportunity to clarify what happened on the journeys that she complained about via social media and through the press.

“We have around 76,000 journeys a year on our trains where passengers require assistance. The vast majority of these journeys go smoothly.

“We work closely with a group of disability professionals and disabled people to review incidents such as Hollie’s.

“Hollie has on occasions been caught up in disruption, when trains have been cancelled, most recently due to signalling problems. Greater Anglia staff have on every occasion, made sure that Hollie is helped on and off trains and continued to her home station by taxi and on one occasion by bus, when a member of staff accompanied her.”