Monday 23 September 2013

Wheelchair access...

I did a test to find out if its possible to safely travel on the underground and to the Eurostar in a wheelchair.
The short version, its not possible. The longer version, the underground was very tricky to navigate in a wheelchair, other than the obvious people pushing you out of the way and jumping in front of you its basically a war zone. Most of the lifts are absolutely pointless, you travel around the other side of whatever station only to find out that taking the lift brings you back to where you was in the first place! (London Bridge tube service for example). The eurostar staff are untrained when it comes to dealing with wheelchair passengers and getting on the eurostar is very stressfull as they have to go and get a ramp to allow you on and its not always there! How weird. If you travel to Brussels your pretty stuffed. Most trains are very high and you will have to search for someone to help you get on. My advice if you are in a wheelchair or have very heavy luggage, leave an extra hour before the time you thought you could travel at. And be prepared for a hell journey.

2 comments:

  1. I agree, wheel chair users are pretty stuffed. Also if your traveling with a pram (why people do this i dont know) Then your pretty stuffed also.

    ReplyDelete
  2. i once see eurostar refuse access to a disabled person simply because they had no seats! he was told to wait for the next train!

    ReplyDelete