Comedian humiliated for using disabled space on train - BBC News 17th July 2018

[whole diary]

[Phantom]

I wondered ... I doubt we will ever know, but feel there just has to be more to this story than has appeared in the 'press'.  One party is professionally articulate, the other unlikely to be so.  It is dangerous for us to come to a conclusion.

She hasn't before though felt the need to go so public.

I have no problem coming to a conclusion. The TM^‡(resolve) was 100% wrong.

Not quite true, a quick look through her twitter feed will show that she has regularly complained about train companies and various aspects of her journey, a recent tweet she was complaining she had to show her disabled railcard . . .

Agree 100% with the second comment, no idea what the guard was playing at with those announcements

[JayMac]

I did say she hadn't before felt the need to go so public.

That is, she has, just like many other disabled travellers, regularly experienced instances of being seen as an inconvenience. This time she decided enough was enough. That ahe so often experiences problems is surely very telling. These are not isolated instances.

Could I ask for a link to the recent tweet where she was complaining she had to show her Disabled Railcard.

[WelshBluebird]

Not quite true, a quick look through her twitter feed will show that she has regularly complained about train companies and various aspects of her journey, a recent tweet she was complaining she had to show her disabled railcard . . .

Agree 100% with the second comment, no idea what the guard was playing at with those announcements

To be fair, tweeting a company about service you think isn't good enough is a bit different to going to the press.

[Tim]

Although not particularly relevant in this instance, which is in effect primarily about a pushchair improperly blocking a disabled space, this does flag up to me a concern that maybe there is a wider issue here. Is modern train design in fact allowing enough space for the number of disabled persons wishing to use them?

As I understand it the train was an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) and the disabled space was in first class because the disabled coach was missing from standard.  GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are of course 100% responsible for giving up on properly maintaining their HST sets. 

[TaplowGreen]

Looks like GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are making an effort - let's hope it's not just PR^▸ (Public Relations) - upsetting to hear that the TM^‡(resolve) has apparently been receiving abuse and even death threats.


https://twitter.com/TanyaleeDavis/status/1019939424061284352

And on Channel 5 News tonight;

https://twitter.com/i/status/1020003355949584384

[SandTEngineer]

...and for those of us who don't use T*****r.....

[Bmblbzzz]

...and for those of us who don't use T*****r.....

Those of us who don't have a Twitter account can still clink on Twitter links and read what other people have twat twot twitted written. If our principals don't allow us to do that, then we can be reasonably confident we haven't missed anything terribly important.

(The first one says:

Just met with reps @GWRHelp  in regards to the #ScooterGate incident. I am very confident they want to make positive changes. @GR8ASUR #ScooterCampaign

The second one says:

"It was so degrading and I felt worthless."

Comedian Tanyalee Davies says she was reduced to tears after a train guard refused to let her use a disabled space for her mobility scooter so that a mother could use it for her pram.

)

[SandTEngineer]

Thank You.  Every time I try to read something like this it asks me to register.....

[JayMac]

Congratulations to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) for so quickly recognising the damage this could cause their brand.

Well done to Dan Panes and others for arranging to meet Tanyalee Davis so soon after the incident. That shows, to me, just how serious GWR are about the issues raised by this incident.

Now, of course, today's news is tomorrow's fish wrapper, but I do hope GWR (in fact, all TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company)) make changes to their policies and staff guidance and training to recognise that disabled mobility scooter users have as much right to occupy a disabled space on a train as a wheelchair user. Subject to the 'reference wheelchair' dimensions of course. Such guidance is already out there from the RSSB^▸ (Rail Safety and Standards Board), backed up by the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) and DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) who say the Equality Act 2010 doesn't and won't differentiate. So, neither should TOCs. No 'scooter bans'. No 'permit schemes'. Fair and equitable treatment of all disabled users of mobility aids.

[TRAINMAN57]

This problem is even worse on the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) as there is no provision for wheelchairs in standard (5 and 10 car) not sure on the 9 car. these trains of course were ordered by the goverment( the supposed law makers.

[broadgage]

Thank You.  Every time I try to read something like this it asks me to register.....

Yes, but whilst it IMPLIES that registration is required, presumably to increase numbers of customers, you can normally read the tweets without in fact having to register.

[JayMac]

This problem is even worse on the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) as there is no provision for wheelchairs in standard (5 and 10 car) not sure on the 9 car. these trains of course were ordered by the goverment( the supposed law makers.

Four disabled spaces in a ten car train is pretty good provision I'd say. Particularly with the free upgrade to 1st Class that is afforded to disabled Standard Class ticket holders.

There will be 4 disabled spaces in the 9 car sets. Two in 1st Class and two in Standard.

[ellendune]

This problem is even worse on the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) as there is no provision for wheelchairs in standard (5 and 10 car) not sure on the 9 car. these trains of course were ordered by the goverment( the supposed law makers.

Four disabled spaces in a ten car train is pretty good provision I'd say. Particularly with the free upgrade to 1st Class that is afforded to disabled Standard Class ticket holders.

There will be 4 disabled spaces in the 9 car sets. Two in 1st Class and two in Standard.

Will any people accompanying the disabled passenger also get a first class upgrade or will they be forced to sit apart?

[JayMac]

Will any people accompanying the disabled passenger also get a first class upgrade or will they be forced to sit apart?

Poor form if GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) insist companions sit in standard. Highly unlikely. Imagine the publicity if, for example, a disabled child was separated from their parent/guardian. Many disabled adults need regular assistance from a carer/partner/relative.

But who knows? Until this weekend you wouldn't have expected a GWR TM^‡(resolve) to turf a disabled person and their companion out of the area and seat set aside for them. In preference of a mum, baby and pram...

[Phantom]

Thank You.  Every time I try to read something like this it asks me to register.....

Thought it easier to put up a screen shot - had to do it this way as the image was too large

https://ibb.co/guB8My