I virtually met with officials from the Department for Transport and Rail Delivery Group this morning and I told them that the assisted travel provision offered to those with mobility issues and other disabilities needs to improve “now” and not in 5 or 10 years time.
During the meeting I shared with those in attendance what I have been working on with the team at WMT (West Midlands Trains) for the last 18 months or so, assisted travel across the rail network used to be shambolic in the region for those with disabilities or mobility issues who use it to keep some independence.
Those reading this will know by now that 10 stations across the Midlands region have accessible waiting spaces on there platforms and those stations are: Witton Lane, Aston, The Hawthorns, Coventry Arena, Kenilworth, Lye, Selly Oak, Telford Central, Worcester Foregate Street and Worcester Shrub Hill.
The waiting spaces come in the form of a blue and white boxes which feature a white wheelchair logo and the words “ for mobility assistance, please wait here ” other types of signage mirroring the spaces have also been installed at some of the stations.
As a disability activist who uses a wheelchair to navigate daily life I should not have been forced to campaign for this type of change on behalf of our community living across the region, accessibility should be one of the first things that any public transport operator considers when improving existing infrastructure or building it from scratch.
Unfortunately this isn’t the case meaning that those of us living with mobility issues and other disabilities face challenges when using things like the rail network to travel around the United Kingdom.
Assisted travel across the country on the railway isn’t currently fit for purpose so I took the opportunity to ask those in attendance some questions round the issue and they were:
- Why is rail travel for those with disabilities and other mobility issues a ” National Embarrassment”?.
- Question 2: How does the department plan on identifying practical steps to improve the accountability for accessibility failures across the railways?
- How does the department plan on elevating the voices of disabled people when it comes the shaping of enforcement strategies across the railways?.
- Do rail operators and the DFT showcase best practice when it comes improving the accessibility of the railways, if not – why not?
It was only right that I took full advantage of the opportunity that I had been afforded by the DFT so I decided to share with them a recommendation.
Recommendation A: A nationwide conference bringing together officials from the Department for Transport, Rail Delivery Group, Rail Operators and disabled rail passengers to discuss assisted travel across the network and how it can be improved should be created.
The recommendation explained
A. The conference will be focused on rail passengers with disabilities and mobility issues sharing their experiences and concerns around the assisted travel provision which is currently offered by rail operators. There will also be number of focus groups created so that improvement ideas and strategies can be shared across the board.
Read more about why I believe a national conference on assisted travel across the rail network is needed: https://just-being-cp.co.uk/2025/08/07/officials-from-the-department-for-transport-rail-delivery-group-rail-operators-and-disabled-rail-passengers-should-come-together-for-a-nationwide-conference-to-discuss-assisted-travel-on-the-rail-ne/
Assisted travel has to change now and not in 5 or 10 years time when it is convenient for the key decision makers within government!!!!.
Do you travel by rail on a regular basis and require some assistance to board or disembark services?, if the answer is yes, your assisted travel can be booked up to 2 hours before departure in 1 of 3 ways:
By Phone: 0800 024 8998 or by using Next Generation Text – 18001 0800 024 8998.
Online: https://booking.passengerassistance.com.
By using the App: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/passenger-assistance/id1542190496.
Have you enjoyed reading this post all about my virtual visit to Westminister, where I met with senior officials from the Department for Transport to discuss the accessibility of the rail network?, if the answer is yes then why not subscribe (if you haven’t already) and receive future ones direct to your inbox with just a few short minutes of publication.
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Thank you to the Rail Delivery Group and Department for Transport for taking the time to meet with me and listen to my concerns regarding assisted travel across the rail network, it hasn’t gone unnoticed and is very much appreciated.
West Midlands Trains also once again need to be thanked for their hard and dedication to this project in recent years, it hasn’t gone unnoticed and this very much appreciated.
The final thank you must go to you, my loyal readers and social media followers who continually take the time out of your busy schedules to read my latest post once again it hasn’t gone unnoticed and is very much appreciated.
Cam
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