Will she ever learn?

They aren't, and a lot of effort goes into the Travel Assistance system, but it obviously doesn't always work.

She's from Norwich.

Owain

"Ms Davis, of Norwich"

Norwich Canada?

On a train no where near Norwich.

In message , at

What particularly doesn't work is:

(a) when people arrive with a buggy that apparently doesn't comply with the Travel Assistance scheme.

It's not a wheelchair, it's not a folding buggy (which like folding bikes are treated as luggage), and it's unlikely it has the necessary permit for a non-folding buggy.

(b) when people are not in the correct carriage [with the wheelchair space]. The platform staff apparently helped *someone* off the train (presumably from the correct carriage) and at that point no doubt thought their job was done.

Its fragmentation of the railways that is the cause of problems with disabled use of them. Non standard procedures and trains and the lack of communication across companies. Brian

In message , at 10:02:24 on Mon, 23 Jul

In the case of East Coast, the problem is the old trains they inherited (built in the 70's/80's). The new fleet is in the wings.

One of the main reasons they are being withdrawn is the lack of provision for wheelchair users.

I'd expect most train companies to have very similar mobility scooter rules.

In both of the cases this lady was involved in, just one company was implicated.

Because it's not true. I use trains on a regular (but not daily basis, so also a variety of routes) and they're generally fine. Far more likely to arrive at your destination at the said time than going by road.

Far more likely to arrive at all, given the road and rail fatality statistics.

Owain

It was far worse when BR rolling stock was mostly slam-door. Disabled and buggies had to go in the grotty guards van.

Not if you use Southern or Thameslink since May 20th

In BR days on our local line, many passengers had to stand in the luggage cage in the guards compartment every day - usually so packed that they were in danger of passing out. Even then, the class 108 and

SteveW

In message , at 22:15:41 on Mon, 23 Jul

I think you'll find that although there was a lot of chaos initially, the subsequent 'another new timetable' introduced on 15th July is working reasonably well.

The rest of the train was usually rather grotty too.

Owain

Doesn't make a great deal of difference in my case. As I'm not aiming to catch the 07.30 etc from a country station.

There's a world of difference between a 15 minute service from Tooting to Waterloo and a rural (and even not-so-rural) service that starts and sometimes finishes a long way from LOndon.

You also have massively subsidised tube, bus and Overground rail alternatives.

Totally disagree.

I might manage up to 30 train journeys a year.

At least 20% of them are late.

No matter where I drive, if the journey greater than 20 minutes I always expect to beat Google maps ETA by a least 5 minutes.

There certainly is, as such a thing doesn't exist.

Think you'll find the subsidy per passenger mile rather less than on many rural lines.

You must be very lucky. I had the journey time to Basingstoke doubled the other day due to an accident. Didn't come as a surprise either.