Victoria Station Manchester no lifts until next year

Geoark
Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Championing
in People power

One of Manchester's busiest train stations will have no lifts in operation over the Christmas period, outraging disability campaigners.

Manchester Victoria's three lifts will be out of order until mid-January, meaning that disabled passengers will have to be carried up stairs at the station on a StairMaster.

Network rail say they are reviewing how they carry out lift repairs in future but disability campaigners have said the simple solution is to keep one lift open.

A statement on behalf of Network Rail and Northern said: “We have to make the lifts at Manchester Victoria more reliable because unexpected breakdowns are hugely frustrating and inconvenient for passengers.

Source: https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2019-11-08/manchester-victoria-will-have-no-functioning-lifts-until-january/

Comments

  • northernlass
    northernlass Community member Posts: 6 Connected
    I saw it on the local news, an absolute disgrace.  The same applies, permanently, in London for disabled people, no lifts or even escalators at many of the underground stations.  A few years ago I went for a weekend visit with my disabled friend, got off at one of the stations, no way of getting out, had to get onto another train to find a station that did.  A nations capital and can't accommodate the disabled, and London had the Paralympics that year.

  • pollyanna1052
    pollyanna1052 Community member Posts: 2,016 Championing
    It is bad organisation indeed! Very bad!
  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Championing
    @norhternlass I totally agree with you, 270 tube stations and only 78 have step free access.

    Then you have rail stations like South Bermondsey with no staff and step only access. 

    It is worth considering the first tube line was opened in 1869 the majority of the network was built in the following 50 years.
  • Maggie_Pie
    Maggie_Pie Community member Posts: 22 Contributor
    Transport for London are stopping bus services at the drop of a hat.  I got stuck on Sunday as a result and missed my coach home.  Caused me physical hardship, distress and the cost of a new coach ticket.  Apart from which, there were no reasonable adjustments for disability in evidence and when I asked for help at the Enquiry Desk in Charing Cross Station I was told, "We don't have the staff to help you."  Now I am trying to complain and, guess what, TfL are making doing so difficult.
  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Championing
    Hi @Maggie_Pie

    I am really sorry to hear of your experience in London.

    First of all,. TFL do not not stop bus services at a drop of hat. TFL is an integrated transport authority with the oversight of transport and some none transport facilities in London. This is done mainly through private contracts. It would have been the bus company running the service you were on who would have decided to terminate the bus early. There can be a number of reasons why this could be done including regulating the service, or could be due to the route not being open either because of planned events or demonstrations. 

    The same with the trains, TFL have oversight and manage the long term strategy, but are controlled by the company with the contract.

    This is important because if you are trying to complain you need to follow process, so usually in the first place this would be complaining to the individual companies in the first place. 

    To help you, you can get advice on how and where to complain at https://www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/complaints/making_an_initial_complaint

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