Brilliant Passenger Assistance on Railways

Aldom I have used Passenger Assistance on trains for many years, long before I actually had to use a wheelchair. Should book it in advance so they have notification to make appropriate arrangements. Should arrive at departure station about 15-20 minutes ahead of train departure. Some of the large stations in London have separate Passenger Assistance Lounge at which you can report and wait,, others have this just on the main concourse. At small stations, just let the person at the entry gate know I am there.

The assistance is as you need. So, before I needed a wheelchair it was just to help me on and off the train and to carry my suitcase if I had one. When I needed to transfer between trains, they would always ask if I would like a wheelchair if it was a long walk. A few large stations have special trolleys to take people requiring help to their train, etc. I always ask that they ring ahead to my getting off station, so that I know I will be met as the train arrives with appropriate assistance.

The London Underground is slightly different. Cannot book ahead, just ask as one enters. A lot of the rolling stock is now totally accessible and no assistance required, but have to check in advance about each station as not all are able to get from platform to street. As no-one can purchase particular seating in advance on the tube, it means that once PA have helped you on to that train, they have to telephone ahead to station you wish to change or get off and let them know exactly where you are.

Yes, it would be lovely to have all trains totally accessible (as is now a lot of the new Elizabeth Line). Would actually make it easier and less dangerous getting on and off for most passengers, BUT that would cost an absolute fortune to have platforms at same height as train entrance and no gaps between them. Even the ramps all have to be put down and taken up by hand, none of them are electronic.

Obviously as new lines are built it is hoped that they are made totally accessible, do not think anyone opposes or prevents this, but - in the meantime, we have to do make do with what we have. And, no way can we anything but totally appreciative of the wonderful work done by the Passenger Assistance staff.

Dear Franbern very many thanks for your detailed explanation.
I hope to use the Passenger Assistance before too long. Best wishes.

I travelled to Birmingham and back on the train today. When I returned I noticed an elderly, frail-looking lady being escorted off my train to a lift to take her down to the exit, she was escorted by a young man, she was holding his arm and they seemed to be having a pleasant conversation. It is heartening to know that should I need this service in the future it is available.

My DH spent his entire career working for railway companies and is proud to have read the comments on this thread. Thank you for sharing them.

Thank you for the posts, Daddima that’s very useful. I’m not sure I’ll get my Dh to accept a wheelchair, he’s taking the ‘use it or lose it’ approach at the moment so is walking whenever he can. Who knows what the future holds, though?

It did strike me that having old-fashioned porters would solve lots of problems, parents with prams, the less mobile but otherwise able folk and so on.

Afraid my experience earlier this year was not up to standard. We were on a P&O fly-cruise from Manchester to Valletta. We ordered assistance for my DH who uses a rollator. I am not in need of assistance but did not expect to be abandoned completely by the staff who whisked DH around the airport as if they were running a race, leaving me to attempt to catch them up. At several points they rounded a corner and I had no idea where they had gone. I also needed the loo en-route but that meant I lost them entirely. I was scared stiff and exhausted. On arrival in Valetta we were herded into a cattle truck to be lowered to the ground. Those in wheelchairs etc were fine, but their partners were left to hang on to whatever they could - in my case nothing at all. I do have some health issues but would have been better making my own way on/off the plane. On our return to Manchester a team of staff brought all the wheelchairs to the plane but my huband's rollator was not found. After an hour of waiting for someone to find it I had to take it upon myself to do the job. After an enormous trek to the baggage area I found it - standing alone and damaged. The suitcases were somewhere else entirely. Extra staff had to be found to get us to our car at the Meet and Greet which wasn't even signposted. I will never do it again.

Even the cruise itself was not "plain sailing". If we wanted to be in the sun on the top deck we found that the lift only went to the floor below. DH managed to walk up while I carried the rollator, then I had to leg it back down and a long way along the deck to get us two mugs of coffee, then struggle up the stairs with them. Never again!

That sounds like a trip from hell madmeg.

Sorry you had such a bad experience Madmeg. You would need a holiday to recover from your 'holiday'.

I really don’t want to rock the boat here but the thread is about rail travel and as far as I recall all the rail experiences are very positive.
It might be an idea to start a new one about air travel when more people can participate and see if any are positive, they all seem to be negative and maybe, if as we like to believe the powers that be take notice, things may change.

A while ago I felt I ought to help an elderly man with mobility issues and a very large suitcase. He had left it till the last minute to catch his train and the train went before he could get to the platform.
He was horrified that the train had gone without him and was very upset.
I told him that next time he ought to book for assistance with his mobility issues and give himself plenty of time to get to the platform.
I had to leave him to get on my own train but I often wonder how he got on- I suspect he would have had to buy another ticket...

keepingquiet, sorry to hear about that gentleman. People seem so reluctant to ask for, and accept assistance.
Unlikely he would have needed to purchase a new ticket. I have always found that my advance booked rail tickets permit me to get earlier or later trains.

This last weekend, I arrived at Victoria Station early (I always allow loads of times for any transfers between stations), and PA put me on an earlier to train to Eastbourne. Also got an early train than one booked on Sunday morning going to Brighton. (I left the hotel early, thinking I would be able to mooch around some of the shops in the High Street on my way to the station, forgetting that it was a Sunday and none of the shops were open!!). Also managed to get an earlier train at Paddington on my return journey on Monday. None of these changes caused any problem with my tickets.

I always book my train tickets on line well in advance and use my Disabled Person Pass, so train journeys are not too expensive. In most instances a lot less cost than if I was travelling singly in a car.

Ashcombe thank your DH on my behalf. I have always found ALL railway staff incredibly kind and helpful. As I say, I book on line, but like to have 'proper tickets' not keep them on my phone. The Ladies at my local station ticket office always print these off for me, and sort out any queries I may have.

Thank you, Franbern, I will! He has retired now but still takes a keen interest in all matters railway related (and is a railway modeller but that's another story!) We enjoy using our free rail passes which we have as a result of his career. My decreasing mobility means I'm disinclined to travel alone although I'm thinking that passenger assistance could be the answer.

It must have improved from the days I was using it, admittedly a long time age. I used to travel by train regularly from Liverpool Lime Street to London Euston. The help at the Liverpool end was brilliant, but when I arrived at Euston I was usually left sitting on the platform waiting for assistance. I had to phone in order to get someone to come. It was very unpleasant and alarming.

DH is currently at his home in La Sarthe, France and has just emailed this account of the experiences of his late wife:-

Following her disabling accident, Deb could walk short distances on crutches, but needed to use a wheelchair. This she could dismantle and put in the back of her car. Living in France, in 2010, she chose to travel - alone - by train to England, and assisted journeys were booked with SNCF and Eurostar. On the morning in question, I pushed her wheelchair onto the concourse at Le Mans station, and we were approached by a lady who asked, "Madame D.....?" and she was off. Pushed via lifts to the platform, and loaded to the TGV.

At Lille she was met and taken throught immigration to the Eurostar platform. At St Pancras the buggy driver met her, but apologised for not being able to take her to the taxi rank, as he had another customer to collect. Not a problem, and Deb found the rank and was helped into a taxi to Charing Cross. On arrival there - the driver refused payment! He said something like, "People like you achieve so much I can't charge you in all conscience."

A heartwarming story.

I rarely go by rail, but a close friend raves about the support.
Must add, if you fly, British Airways are fantastic. Although I can walk, I get breathless, and on ones own, an airport is daunting.
BA offer support from their main entrance to the plane; mixture of wheelchair and buggy.
Fantastic, with no luggage to worry about.

Agree. It’s a marvellous service. Victoria to Cheam assisted me at both stations without me asking. They offered as I had my walker. A lady was waiting at Cheam to help me off.

So good to hear the system working so well. Great that you let all know as we hear so much negative stuff about services.

When it works well, it’s amazing but, like most things in life, there can occasionally be problems!

Thank you for writing such an uplifting post.

I am so glad you asked for and got the help, given willingly, that you needed, and that you found and carried out a way of visiting your family without it becoming too exhausting.

I hope you have many more nice trips like this one.

Usedtobeblonde there are mentions of air travel in the thread, not all are about trains.
Acegik In any airport I have flown from it is the airport who provides the assistance, not the airline, though you request it through the airline, who inform the airport assistance staff.
Incidentally, I am a ‘Romeo’, which means I cannot walk long distances, but can climb steps to the aircraft.
‘Sierra’ needs a lift into the aircraft, and ‘Charlie’ needs a lift to the aircraft and a narrow wheelchair to get to their seat, where they can be lifted into their seat.
It is a fantastic service.

I have found prebooked train assistance very good. at Euston they take you on a buggy to the central collection point and then in a wheel chair to the taxi point for disability assistance. I did have a bit of difficulty getting into the taxi but all was well. On the way back I asked the taxi to drop me at the Euston assistance point and there the staff member spoke to the assistance to say I was waiting for a wheel chair and within minutes one came with a person who wanted a taxi and then I got into the now empty chair and returned to the assistance point. At the right time they took me to the my train where the disabled passengers were the first on. at my home station a lovely young man who would like to be a train driver sometime in the future too me to the edge of the pavement. He was not allowed off the premises. I had parked in the shopping centre across the street as it was £4 cheaper than the station's own car park. I told him not to worry about me I wasn't far away and had my stick and rolling laptop bag.

Flights have bigger problems coordinating the number of different passengers and the huge distances they have to take them etc. If there is a choice I choose the smaller airport to fly from.

Sorry for hijacking the thread to introduce air travel, but the same situation could easily have arisen in a busy city station.

And my post was not about the "disabled" person, but about the person accompanying them - which could happen at a train station too.

On the plus side, the Metrobuses in Bristol (we visit a lot) are fantastic at helping us BOTH on and off, and never set off till we are both seated and the rollator safely stashed.

This is what I have for airport classification

International Classification of Assistance to the Passenger
Below a legend with the meaning given to encodings used by the operators:

IATA CODE LEGEND

WCHR (WHEEL CHAIR RAMP)

Passenger who can move slowly on their own but needs a wheelchair for long trips.

WCHS (WHEEL CHAIR STAIR)

Passenger who can independently perform a few movements, like the door of the aircraft at the assigned place.

WCHC (WHEEL CHAIR COMPLETELY)

Passenger who can not make any movement on their own and need complete assistance to the whole journey.

DEAF

Deaf Passenger

BLIND

Passengers with visual disabilities

DEAF/BLIND

Passengers with impaired vision and hearing, who needs the assistance of an attendant to move.

DPNA

Passengers with intellectual or behavioral problems.

There is another one but it would not copy and paste

Madmeg on the trains, I have occasionally been accompanied by one of my daughters, and she also goes on trains with her hubbie who uses an electric wheelchair. Can only say, that she has never ever been left behind by PA. Where the stations have buggies she is always put in alongside hubbie (or me), and the also ensure that she is safely seated and luggage in appropriate place.

No idea about planes, and I was told long ago, that cruises are not really suitable for anyone with mobility problems. But can confirm that on the trains, the carer (if they are that) or just anyone accompanying the person having PA, is looked after along with them.

I used to travel back to London on sunday evening, & on the tube I often shared the journey with a young visually impaired man who got off at the same stop. Every time except one there was a TfL staff member waiting on the platform to help him off the tube & down the stairs. One evening I helped him off the tube as there was no-one there but as the train moved off, the helper arrived. This was at 10.30 pm on a sunday,an unmanned stop at that hour, so obviously he had to book, I found it very impressive.