Disability access on the railways has grown up piecemeal. Over the years the methods of getting wheelchair users on and off trains have varied. British Rail introduced the 'warden ramp' on wheels usually for access to or from a train's guards van. Since then there have been various developments, often stock-specific, with some operators having introduced alternatives such as the 'folding boarding ramp'. Variations in design can cause problems because different trains have different designs for the ramps to engage with (to ensure that there is a stable platform for the user) and there have been examples where ramp damage or misuse has made them unstable and could potentially lead to accidents involving wheelchair users, other passengers or rail staff. In addition, some trains present particular problems because of their height from the platform. The Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee (Rail) asked RSSB to manage research into the best ways of overcoming these issues and related difficulties with the support of ATOC, DfT and Network Rail.
The research undertook wide-ranging consultation both with industry parties and wheelchair users, reviewed relevant industry standards, and analysed the hazards associated with boarding and alighting wheelchair users. Consultation took the form of interviews, focus groups, discrete observations and shadowed journeys, and the review of standards and other key documentation was used to identify the implications for wheelchair stability when using ramps to board and alight from trains. The appropriateness of the different gradients involved-and in particular, the point at which staff are likely to struggle to provide assistance was also explored.
The project focused on the assistance that is provided to wheelchair users when boarding and alighting from trains. The combination of thorough consultation with the rail industry and wheelchair users, and observations of wheelchair users being assisted with boarding and alighting across different parts of the network helped to highlight specific issues that, when grouped, broadly related to: equipment, staff, TOCs, and wheelchair use
The research generated a suite of good practice guidance, and through discussions with ATOC and other interested parties determined how best these various items of good practice should be promulgated to relevant sections of industry and to wheelchair users. As a result of these discussions, a ‘working together’ wheelchair good practice guide for railway staff, railway managers and wheelchair users was produced and launched to industry.
Following the successful launch of this guidance, further work on the topic of disability access has been developed to address the recognition that the market for mobility scooters has shown significant growth in recent years with these products offering an affordable mobility solution to many potential rail customers. This research project will investigate scooter use on the GB rail network specifically investigating the current level of use, how policies are developed and managed by individual TOCs and what research exists to help understand how viable the use of scooters is in GB stations and rolling stock.
