Disabled 'to sue for Tube access'
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3595351.stm

London Underground (LU) has been warned that it could be sued by disabled
people if it does not improve access for them by October.
By then the part of the Disability Discrimination Act which governs access
to transport will come into force.

Currently only one in seven stations are step-free, which allows entry for
wheelchair users.

[snip]

--
John Rowland - Spamtrapped
Transport Plans for the London Area, updated 2001
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...69/tpftla.html
A man's vehicle is a symbol of his manhood.
That's why my vehicle's the Piccadilly Line -
It's the size of a county and it comes every two and a half minutes

Disabled 'to sue for Tube access'
 

On Thu, 8 Apr 2004 07:17:38 +0100, "John Rowland"
wrote:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3595351.stm

London Underground (LU) has been warned that it could be sued by disabled
people if it does not improve access for them by October.
By then the part of the Disability Discrimination Act which governs access
to transport will come into force.

Currently only one in seven stations are step-free, which allows entry for
wheelchair users.

By October? Unrealistic expectations?!
--
Nick Cooper

[Carefully remove the detonators from my e-mail address to reply!]

The London Underground at War:
http://www.cwgcuser.org.uk/personal/...ra/lu/tuaw.htm
625-Online - classic British television:
http://www.625.org.uk
'Things to Come' - An Incomplete Classic:
http://www.thingstocome.org.uk

Disabled 'to sue for Tube access'
 

"John Rowland" wrote in message ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3595351.stm

London Underground (LU) has been warned that it could be sued by disabled
people if it does not improve access for them by October.
By then the part of the Disability Discrimination Act which governs access
to transport will come into force.

Currently only one in seven stations are step-free, which allows entry for
wheelchair users.

[snip]

And where will the resources needed to go back and restore the lifts
originally removed in lieu of escalators come from?

Brad

Disabled 'to sue for Tube access'
 

"TheOneKEA" wrote in message
om...
"John Rowland" wrote in message
...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3595351.stm

London Underground (LU) has been warned that it could be sued by
disabled
people if it does not improve access for them by October.
By then the part of the Disability Discrimination Act which governs
access
to transport will come into force.

Currently only one in seven stations are step-free, which allows entry
for
wheelchair users.

[snip]

And where will the resources needed to go back and restore the lifts
originally removed in lieu of escalators come from?

Brad

Not only that be you would need to upgrade them to 'modern' gold plated
standards. Additonaly as I understand it correctly the former lift shafts at
some stations
aren't actually street-platform level in any event.


Of course if the tube had been properly funded as Metro's in other countries
are
then this modernisation work could have been carried out ages ago. But then
this is
Britian with a Tresuary that suffers from acountantitis..

Disabled 'to sue for Tube access'
 

In article ,
(Farlie A) wrote:

Additonaly as I understand it correctly the former lift shafts at
some stations aren't actually street-platform level in any event.

Most if not all of the original lifts, I thought.

Of course if the tube had been properly funded as Metro's in other
countries are then this modernisation work could have been carried out
ages ago. But then this is Britian with a Tresuary that suffers from
acountantitis.

How many other metro systems have full wheelchair access then?

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Disabled 'to sue for Tube access'
 

In message ,
Colin Rosenstiel writes
In article ,
(Farlie A) wrote:

Additonaly as I understand it correctly the former lift shafts at
some stations aren't actually street-platform level in any event.

Most if not all of the original lifts, I thought.

Of course if the tube had been properly funded as Metro's in other
countries are then this modernisation work could have been carried out
ages ago. But then this is Britian with a Tresuary that suffers from
acountantitis.

How many other metro systems have full wheelchair access then?
Tyne & Wear Metro and the entire Melbourne Metropolitan railway network
are two.

London will take a *very* Long time to achieve this, though. That
said, it's good to see so many wheelchair accessible buses (even if the
ambulant disabled, if I can use that term) tend to prefer something with
more stanchions.

Incidentally, I was with a wheelchair bound friend in London last week.
The low floor buses were a *real* boon BUT two out of the three we used
had faults which prevented us from using them. The first could have
the centre doors open *or* lower the ramp but not have both at the same
time. The third one (in Whitehall!), lowered the ramp then it became
stuck on the kerb and everyone had to transfer to the (bendi) behind.
When the problem was eventually solve, though, we had a very private
journey to Marylebone in the company of the driver. All the drivers,
incidentally were *very* much amenable but if breakdowns are this common
(are they?) then it compromises the use of the system.

By the way, anecdotal evidence suggested that people in wheelchairs
travel free on TfL buses. But none of the drivers (nor one inspector)
were absolutely sure and I couldn't find it written down anywhere. One
driver even said he thought that one helper was carried free as well.
Ideas anyone?
--
Ian Jelf, MITG, Birmingham, UK
Registered "Blue Badge" Tourist Guide for
London & the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

Disabled 'to sue for Tube access'
 

On Thu, 8 Apr 2004 07:17:38 +0100, "John Rowland"
wrote:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3595351.stm

London Underground (LU) has been warned that it could be sued by disabled
people if it does not improve access for them by October.
By then the part of the Disability Discrimination Act which governs access
to transport will come into force.

All jolly interesting but someone should check the article and look at
the grounds for being able to sue. If the organisation has plans in
place - and LUL does and has had a policy in place for years - then they
cannot be successfully sued. While I accept such access is important the
legislators did recognise that none of these improvements can be
delivered overnight or at the cost of other vital expenditure - like
replacing worn out track, trains and signals.

The improvements to the bus network that have been funded by TfL provide
good access to those who are mobility impaired and is an adequate
alternative until such time as LUL is properly funded to allow for the
huge works that are needed to rectify the problems inherent in a network
as old as the Underground.

And before anyone jumps down my throat these remarks are mine and not
those of LUL.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

Disabled 'to sue for Tube access'
 

"Colin Rosenstiel" wrote in message
...

In article ,
(Farlie A) wrote:
Additonaly as I understand it correctly the former lift shafts at
some stations aren't actually street-platform level in any event.

Most if not all of the original lifts, I thought.

In addition to this, some of the lift shafts were "cut" by the building of
escalator shafts - either by the escalator shaft physically passing through
the site of the lift shaft (for example at Charing Cross (Northern)), or by
the escalator shaft coming down into the space formerly occupied by the lift
landings (e.g. Tottenham Court Road (Central), Holborn (Picc)).
Re-installing lifts in the original shafts at these locations would be
impossible.

A further problem is that many of the former lift shafts have been converted
to ventilation shafts. Curing one problem might create another.

Disabled 'to sue for Tube access'
 

Ian Jelf wrote:

By the way, anecdotal evidence suggested that people in wheelchairs
travel free on TfL buses. But none of the drivers (nor one inspector)
were absolutely sure and I couldn't find it written down anywhere. One
driver even said he thought that one helper was carried free as well.
Ideas anyone?

"Eligible disabled" people qualify for a Freedom Pass if they live in
London. These passes are paid for by the London boroughs and give the
holders free travel on most public transport services in London.

--
John Ray, London UK.

Disabled 'to sue for Tube access'
 

On Thu, 8 Apr 2004 07:17:38 +0100 someone who may be "John Rowland"
wrote this:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3595351.stm

London Underground (LU) has been warned that it could be sued by disabled
people if it does not improve access for them by October.
By then the part of the Disability Discrimination Act which governs access
to transport will come into force.

A lawyer's money making scheme. The Act requires modifications that
are reasonable, which is right. What is wrong is paying lawyers to
argue over what is reasonable.



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.