Scotrail reiterate accessibility measures following criticism over removed ramps and lack of onboard staff
Scotrail have said that it remains committed to making their railways accessible following criticism over the removal of ramps in some stations.
Ramps were removed earlier this year as they did not meet standards set by the Office of Rail and Road, with some still yet to be replaced.
The issues were highlighted by 29-year-old wheelchair user Joanna McCool last week who shared how she missed dinner reservations after a train turned up with no conductor. Miss McCool’s friends had to carry her on and off the train due to the lack of a ramp, an experience which she says made her feel “awful”.
The rail company’s new running system which sees some conductors replaced by ticket examiners on routes has also meant certain trains have had no staff onboard, leaving disabled passengers without much needed assistance when boarding.
Clare Robertson from ROAR, a paisley based charity working with elderly people in the community believes more could be done by Scotrail following on from the incident.
“It is a major setback for these people needing assistance. Those with low mobility may now not feel comfortable travelling at all causing them to just stay home and isolate out of fear of humiliation or injury,” she said.
Scotrail have said that a compatible ramp is onboard all of its trains with staff onboard and available in any scenario where a ramp happens to not be present.
The company also state on their website that a passenger can request assistance two hours before a journey, and that all staff are trained to identify customers that appear to need help on platforms.
