Homelessness on the Underground/DLR

[90sWereBetter]

This morning I was at Blackwall DLR station with two heavy bags, so I thought about using the lift to get onto the Bank/Tower Gateway platform. However, when I went over to the lift, I spotted a tent and at least one homeless person asleep within it, so decided to leave it. It did get me wondering that could have got ugly had a wheelchair user arrived on a westbound service and called for the lift.

This is probably a bigger issue with the DLR given its stations tend to be unstaffed, but I was wondering if anyone else had noticed an uptick in homelessness across the TFL network? On an anecdotal note, in the last year I've spotted people sitting at the bottom of staircases to the Central Line platforms at Bank and the Victoria Line platforms at King's Cross who are either evidently homeless or outright begging. I imagine they've either chosen a spot which is less covered by CCTV, or staffing levels have reduced to the point where they can get a couple of hours footfall before being moved on.

 

[Turtle]

This morning I was at Blackwall DLR station with two heavy bags, so I thought about using the lift to get onto the Bank/Tower Gateway platform. However, when I went over to the lift, I spotted a tent and at least one homeless person asleep within it, so decided to leave it. It did get me wondering that could have got ugly had a wheelchair user arrived on a westbound service and called for the lift.

This is probably a bigger issue with the DLR given its stations tend to be unstaffed, but I was wondering if anyone else had noticed an uptick in homelessness across the TFL network? On an anecdotal note, in the last year I've spotted people sitting at the bottom of staircases to the Central Line platforms at Bank and the Victoria Line platforms at King's Cross who are either evidently homeless or outright begging. I imagine they've either chosen a spot which is less covered by CCTV, or staffing levels have reduced to the point where they can get a couple of hours footfall before being moved on.

Nothing new about the begging which became noticeable in the nineties, albeit very irritating.
Effectively putting lifts out of order is a different kettle of fish though and it's up to the Underground management to prevent this. I can only suggest that this is reported through the relevant channels asap.

 

[jon81uk]

If the lift was actually blocked and therefore unusable then did you report it to DLR? Or was it just the presence of a tent at the station that made you feel unsafe?

 

[90sWereBetter]

If the lift was actually blocked and therefore unusable then did you report it to DLR? Or was it just the presence of a tent at the station that made you feel unsafe?

Didn't feel unsafe at all, it was 8am in the morning and I had a tight connection to make at Stratford.

 

[jon81uk]

Didn't feel unsafe at all, it was 8am in the morning and I had a tight connection to make at Stratford.

Then what was the issue stopping you using the lift?

 

[thomalex]

Then what was the issue stopping you using the lift?

It wasn’t them it was more it would be an issue if a wheelchair user wanted to use the lift as someone was sleeping in it

 

[jon81uk]

It wasn’t them it was more it would be an issue if a wheelchair user wanted to use the lift as someone was sleeping in it

aha, it wasn't clear the person was in the lift, I read it as they saw a tent within someone in it. Not there was an occupied tent inside the lift blocking use of the lift. So I assumed the tent was outside the lift and it was either close enough to block access or otherwise causing safety issues.
But still if it is enough of an issue to post here I assume they reported the lift being out of use to DLR/TfL.