Help - - Disabled travel
 

OK Guys need help

I use a wheelchair or mobility scooter and I am planning a big trip but am finding some companies want you to register the scooter and demand 24 pre booking of travel
So does anyone know which companies do and don't, I am getting the run around from EMT who want me to ring an expensive phone line just to register

OK
Been on the phone

Trains are only allowed to carry 2 passengers in wheelchairs
TOC's are not obliged to carry scooters but they are wheelchairs
so if I ride on my scooter and there is already one wheelchair user on the train I Can and Will be taken off the train if someone else in a wheelchair gets on the train.

This is AFTER BOOKING 24 hours in advance

So it could mean being taken off the train somewhere where I cannot get back on a train for in excess of 24 hours (wheelchairs and scooter users MUST pre-book travel by 24 hours) without any support and as if I was in the wrong

SO I am really P**d off I want to travel to places where my car and chair can't really get me - I use a scooter as I have exercise intolerance problems due to one of my illnesses
and the use of a wheelchair for more than a couple of hours is painful

So
guys can you help me suggest some places where I can get to see places like loco stable points etc.
I've got plenty of time (1 week) and can manage Hotels for 1 night at a time etc. for long runs like Scotland or Kent please point some places out for me
I do plan on London by train and taxi as there is no other way of getting to the London Stations
but I especially need parking for disabled (motability car) preferably free - like some counties give zero road tax disabled cars not to far way from places of interest

looking forward to your help

im sorry i cant help you about getting about or interesting places to visit,t []he reason i am replying is-disabled people in britain are treated like second class citizens,my mother doesnt use the train but she used to use the manchester metrolink..regularly on her small mobility scooter,since the new smaller trams were introduced they have been banned,many disabled people use these scooters and its a disgrace that all modes of public transport in this day and age dont/or cant accomodate them,at least in the old days you could travel in the guards van[not ideal i know but better than not being able to board at all]i now have to take my mother in the wheelchair,thus taking away her independance,and an uncomfortable ride,its a good job my mother doesnt use the train though,as a 142-our usual trains,cant accomodate the many passengers who use them,let alone disabled ones,let us know how you get on with your travels.

I have just about given up considering using the railway for my trip
If anything due to the rubbish told by the TOC when I sat back and thought about it
A Disabled person HAS to book to ravel at least 24 hours before travel and only TWO wheelchairs are allowed on a train so how can they book more than two to travel
When they say that if a third wheelchair user tries to travel the disabled buggy user will be turned off as on booking there is no ability to define which mode of wheelchair or buggy use and only 2 can book

Lots of inconsistencies being quoted and when costed it works out so much cheaper to use my Motability car and disabled parking permits to visit places Not using station car parks as now EMT my local TOC charges £9 a day to park in a disabled space where as 200m away the local council charge £4 a day.

So far the only rail journey I'm actually looking at is London and maybe using a taxi to get around the city

Hi Gray,
I was unfortunate enough to have to spend 8 years in a wheelchair before a slow recovery to being able to walk again. During that 8 years I used to travel extensively by train, rarely had trouble and had a great deal of help and kindness from railway staff.
Think of it from the TOC's viewpoint; the 24 hour's notice gives them time to arrange staff to meet you, arrange ramps and get you onto the train; meeting you on arrival at your destination (or transfer station) and getting you off the train and helping you off the station.
Only once did I have trouble - no-one to meet the train at Exeter and the train was delayed for 20 minutes until they could get me off! Mostly I have been met with a friendly smile from a "Customer Service Rep" who has all your details as to requirements etc. so it proves that the pre booking does work and takes no longer than getting the ticket. The biggest problem I encountered was young mothers with oversized pushchairs taking up the disabled space. It is very rare to have two wheelchairs on any one train.
Don't give up on the trains.
Regards, Tony.

I don't doubt that the station staff and some train managers are a great bunch but it wasn't the period of notice that was the real problem it was the attitude and condescension of the phone operators

I have a problem that means I have an exercise intolerance or using my wheelchair wouldn't be a problem I used to be extremely fit --- USED to be

and the attitude that TOC's HAVE to carry wheelchair but DON'T HAVE TO carry scooters actually made me rather cross

BUT the biggest problem I have got is cost I don't work now and am having to save up to go on this jaunt and to be honest using my car is actually more cost effective, as much as I DO want to travel by train

car parking free at northern station if you travel by trainhave you considered cummunity buses like dail a ride they take wheelchairs etc

Quite simply no as bus rides leave me in so much pain due to their jolting suspension that I wouldn't be able to get far - before I became ill last year the farthest I could travel by bus was 2 miles now I can't travel more than 1/2 mile on one

Ta for advice re Northern Stations being free for disabled

Is Carlisle a Northern station or another TOC :D

i didnt know northern has free disabled parking,that may well bee at smaller stations,at manchester victoria i pay and display as the car park is an ncp,just checked on carlisle station,its a virgin station.

I can't say what each TOCs restrictions are specifically, but generally a wheelchair of upto 1200mm by 700mm is fine to convey. ATW allow mobility scooters of the same dimensions, a maximum combined (rider and scooter) weight of 300kg and with a turning circle of 990mm, provided that the scooter has been assessed by a local manager and booked ahead.

The weight and size are determined by the ramps used to get wheelchairs on the train and the turning circle is so that they can move about in the train.

Train companies have a responsibility for your safety so they want to minimise any risks that there may be, but the majority of railway staff would, reasonably, try to get you to your destination even if you turned up without a booking.

My wife has a Dissability Badge for the car and you do have to pay parking charges at Carlisle. I can say that First Group are very good if you ring there Dissability line. We have used First Transpennine and First Great Western and both were exellent .

Ta for the info Barry

The thing I WAS going to do was get a rail rover and just wander the UK as I used to when younger
The feasibility of doing it in a wheelchair is ZERO as you would have to book each journey in advance then all it would take is for one train to be late and a missed connection and the rest is shot to pieces

So it's going to be easier (and Cheaper) to use my motability car to get round together with my scooter and wheelchair

Hi Gray,
Oh that we could do everything that we did when we were young! The worst thing about becoming disabled is accepting that things are different and life must be adjusted to allow for it. How was it Dylan Thomas put it; "Rail, rail against the dying of the light?" I hope that you can make the necessary adjustments and enjoy doing what you can.
Regards, Tony.

Hi Tony

Yup

I just wish that we could I mean in this day and age I can send 1 message to 10000 people and they have 5 nanoseconds later
I can pick up a telephone and talk to anyone Anywhere thanks to mobile phones

Yet to travel on a railway that is manned 24 hours a day I need to let them know I wish to travel in a wheelchair
Every train has radio
Most TOC's give their train managers Blackberries

Hang on this is turning into a rant must stop


What I mean is the TOC's have the equipment to contact where ever I am getting off a train as I get one all stations are supposed to have wheelchair ramps
Where is the TOC's problem????

Oh Hang on let me guess

Elf & Safety

Got to agree Gray, in this day and age something is seriously lacking when our transport systems cant assist the less abled amongst us, due in the main to poor communications and lack of staff! Other countries put ours to shame I am sad to say.
I wish you all the best mate and hope you do find a way.
Best wishes
Phil

Merseyrail require only one hours notice to enable customers requirements are met.
If one of the 66 stations on their network does not have wheelchair access they will provide suitable road transport at the nearest accessible station on the passengers route and convey to desired station. ( They don't state whether a cost to that ) Where provided, car parking is free to all customers on condition they are using the train. I do know a mother, disabled, and her daughter travel regularly into Liverpool Central and do not need to give any notice. However, if going to use non Merseyrail trains then they too have to give 24 hours notice.

The more info I get the more I wonder why I wanted to travel by train in the first place


OH YES - I remember I wanted to experience what I did as a kid going to strange places and see different traction

Well I'm still going but it will definitely be by car except for just one mainline trip to London
Chesterfield to St Pancras as yet which day I don't know look forward though when I am out and about to bumping into a few folk maybe from this forum

I think I will make a very boring blog of the trip with those boring holiday photo's too

think man vic network rail station not maniged by northern

hope every thing works out for you theres a hst working from leeds to london in mornings may be better for you i now east midlands not a good toc east coast better seen wheel chair assisted at doncaster best off luck to you tell us off your experience after no you not going yet