In message , at 18:41:21 on
Thu, 4 Jul 2013, Paul Corfield remarked:
Quite why a sign and "straight ahead" arrow has not been shown on the
sign which points you to the stairs I don't know.

Often this sort of situation (and not especially rail-related) is
because they don't actually want people to use the lifts (they'll wear
out faster, and people will complain if they break), the installation
being merely to tick a box on a form somewhere. A lot of cycling
"facilities" are in the same category.

I hardly think TfL and LOROL would have gone to the time and trouble
of seeking Access for All funding in order to install lifts so no one
can use them. There is a pretty obvious programme of improving
disabled access on the Overground given the number of stations that
have received funding and had work done. It's pretty clear that people
value having easier access at railway stations and on to trains just
as they do with low floor buses.

If the value that reflects upon TfL/LOROL is mainly to do with getting
more stations having their boxes ticked, that doesn't necessarily
percolate through to getting those facilities used.

And if the money is there, people will apply for it. Keeps the people
applying, and issuing, the money in a job.

I do not think cycling facilities are comparable. The big issue with
cycling facilities, by which I assume you mean racks and lockers, is
whether they are in a safe position with some level of security
coverage. The biggest dread with cycling is returning to where you
parked your bike and finding it has disappeared.

I was thinking mainly about various schemes for cycle lanes, where the
major motivation is often "we need to add another mile of cycle lanes"
whether or not they are of any practical use. And sometimes they can
even be counter productive.
--
Roland Perry