Wheelchair Provision On Elizabeth Line Trains And Platforms
These pictures show the provision for wheelchairs on trains and platforms of the Elizabeth Line.
Note.
- The generous spaces for a wheelchair. There are four spaces in the middle carriage of the nine-car trains.
- There is a blue wheelchair symbol, that marks where wheelchair entry to the trains is easiest.
- There are blue wheelchair symbols on the floor at doors closest to the wheelchair spaces.
- There are a lot of wheelchair signposts on all platforms.
- There are no steps to negotiate taking a wheelchair in or out of the train.
- At Canary Wharf there was a small screen showing the next five trains in each direction, which appeared to be positioned at the right height for a self-propelled wheelchair user.
Whilst I was coming back from Canary Wharf, the wheelchair space opposite was occupied by a very elderly lady in a wheelchair, who was accompanied, by a couple I took to be her daughter and son-in-law.
Judging by the smiles and compliments all round, they all seemed well satisfied with the provision.
The Anonymous Widower 
Very commendable, but what about the large electric buggies for entry and exit? My wife and I visited London O2 for a War of The Worlds concert a cpouple of months ago, and when the concert finished fifteen thousand people baled out and headed to the Tube Station at North Woolwich. A large crowd forced their way into the second train heading for Green Park. In the middle of the entrance sat a huge red electric wheelchair carrying a huge man. If there was an emergency, it would ahve been carnage for people trying to get out of the carriage. If the train emergency stopped we had visions of this half ton machine hurtling through the packed crowds unchecked by securing anchors or brakes. This worst case scenario seems to have been unforeseen by TFL. Is there any moves to anchor these machines to the floor, as they do not appear to go past the centre verticle grab rail?
Comment by jagracer | June 17, 2022 |
A friend has a substantial buggy and he said, when I asked him a similar question, that there is a maximum size and the buggy must have working brakes. Do you remember the Invacar? I suspect you might be able to get one of those into and out of the train.
The biggest thing, I’ve seen on a train recently, was two guys from South West Railways moving a three-drawer filing cabinet from Feltham to Clapham Junction on a trolley.
Comment by AnonW | June 17, 2022 |
This is excellent news. When the trams (Metro) came to Manchester, for some years mobility scooters weren’t allowed on them, and I am not sure if wheelchairs were either. Parking in the city centre is awful, they have built a hotel on the car park I have used for many many years, long before I was using a scooter. Hence, if I am going up there now I use the tram – drive to East Didsbury park and ride and then get on the tram with the scooter, and remain in it if I wish to. I haven’t used the scooter on the train – don’t remember when I last went on a train, as my car is adapted to hoist my scooter in and out.
Comment by nosnikrapzil | June 18, 2022 |