Just to note that being 'registered' disabled ceased to exist following the introduction of the DDA 1995. Not that that stops all kinds of organisations still using the phrase
Ah, I wasn't aware of that so thanks for the info. This makes it all but impossible for TOCs to implement limitations such as
@Bletchleyite suggested. In which case the communications issue is all the more important, as the categories used in the booking need to be transmitted to all concerned so that where multiple bookings and/or other duties conflict, priority can be given to those with potentially the greatest needs.
There must be a way that disabled passengers prove they have a disability as they do this when they apply for a disabled person's railcard. As I understand it the disability has to be proven when applying for this railcard. Do we know how they have to do this?
Also a disability has to be proven to local authorities when requesting a disabled RADAR key for accessible toilets. How is this proven to the council?
Where it was mentioned that a disabled only assistance service could potentially leave some people illegible for the service, such as those who don't classify themselves as disabled but who may be impaired in some way or have an injury etc, I would suggest that this would come under the 'Mobility Impaired' category, which would remain.
So any physical impairment which didn't mean a person was necessarily disabled, would be able to be booked under Mobility Impaired which would cover any physical impairment whatsoever.
For mental health where someone may need assistance due to severe nervousness etc, it could be booked under 'non disabled, guidance' and in the area where the details are contained below it would say 'passenger nervous, guidance needed' etc which I have seen quite a few times before. So that would stand obviously and rightly so.
Someone above suggested 'Elderly' would probably be someone over age 70. But this is all speculation. I've seen many a time people who appear in their 50s have assistance booked under just the categories Elderly and Luggage. As I say date of births are not checked or requested on booking. So my brother in his 50s could just book elderly luggage assistance for him and his Mrs to carry their cases and find them a seat, and they wouldn't be challenged and it'd have to be given per the current system. But it does mean teams are often pushed because practically everyone who knows the categories can book the assistance under Elderly if they are over say aged 50 whether the truly need it or not.
I mean lets think about it. In the days of porters as I understand it you probably had to pay for the service, possibly give the porter some coins or whatever for their services. This must have been because having someone handle your luggage was a popular and attractive service. Now the system today is that the same service is offered for free to anyone who says they are elderly, in their own opinion as the system doesn't go by any age. I know people who say 'I'm an old man' who are in their early 50s.
Now that is an attractive offer to a lot of Elderly passengers or people who would classify themselves as old be it in their 60s or whatever, and its free. Who wouldn't want their cases pulled, lifted on and a seat found for them and someone to get them off and move them around the station at all points for free if it was offered? And it is. Word spreads and more and more passengers have heard about the system that it can be booked as Elderly luggage if you classify yourself as Elderly.
I know a poster above said well Elderly seems a reasonable category. Maybe so but the question is: Can the system reasonably offer luggage and a full chaperones service to all passengers who classify themselves as old who wish to travel? With an ageing population? There's no way it can or could. And mistakes are being made one in five we are told. Its no surprise.
It may sound harsh but Elderly does not mean disabled.
If I took my dad to the local garden centre they have made the paths flat, and there are wheelchairs available where I could push him around. But there's no service where I can request a member of staff takes care of them, I disappear and they take them around the garden centre and I collect them later. Likewise at a restaurant they would make it accessible, but I couldn't leave the care of my parents in their hands until they leave the premises.
As someone else pointed out once before, the railway cannot offer a carers service. They have a duty of care for the safety of customers in terms of the safe operation of the railway of course. And the assistance service works to ensure as many parts of the railway service are accessible to as many people as possible. But they cannot ensure the care of any passenger in the way say a carer could when they take residents out from a care home for example.