Paddington Passenger Assistance

[TheSeeker]

I took my Mum from Brussels to Paddington on Saturday after staying with us for the holidays in Belgium. Paddington Station Reception staff were excellent and her pre-booked assistance was on their list. They phoned through to Bristol Parkway, Newport and Bridgend as there was a bus service for engineering works. She was whisked off in one of their golf buggies from platform 1.

Speaking to her on the phone last night she mentioned that she had been put in first class at Paddington despite having a second class ticket. The GWR train manager wasn't happy but let her stay in her seat as she's not mobile at all.

Is that normal practice?

 

[_toommm_]

IIRC, the HSTs EDIT: 5-CAR IEPs run by GWR don't have a disabled spot in Standard, so any passengers requiring this type of accomodation are bumped up to First Class automatically.

 

[cactustwirly]

IIRC, the HSTs run by GWR don't have a disabled spot in Standard, so any passengers requiring this type of accomodation are bumped up to First Class automatically.

No! There's a dedicated disabled spot in Coach C in standard.
However it's extremely likely it was a 800 instead

 

[CC 72100]

IIRC, the HSTs run by GWR don't have a disabled spot in Standard, so any passengers requiring this type of accomodation are bumped up to First Class automatically.

Almost correct - GWR HSTs and IET 9-cars have wheelchair spaces in C and A respectively. However, the IET 5-cars don't have a standard class wheelchair space, and so that's probably how she would have been upgraded to first class, as wheelchair spaces are only available in first class on 5-car IETs (coach E).

 

[_toommm_]

Almost correct - GWR HSTs and IET 9-cars have wheelchair spaces in C and A respectively. However, the IET 5-cars don't have a standard class wheelchair space, and so that's probably how she would have been upgraded to first class, as wheelchair spaces are only available in first class on 5-car IETs (coach E).

Aah! I knew it was one or the other!

 

[221129]

Not sure where the wheelchair comes into it though....

 

[maire23]

I’m often put in first class if I have my rollator but not if I’m only on my crutches.

 

[NoOnesFool]

Almost correct - GWR HSTs and IET 9-cars have wheelchair spaces in C and A respectively. However, the IET 5-cars don't have a standard class wheelchair space, and so that's probably how she would have been upgraded to first class, as wheelchair spaces are only available in first class on 5-car IETs (coach E).

I find that very bizzare for such a modern, PRM compliant train!

 

[philthetube]

What would happen if a wheelchair passenger was in a group of 6? It must be discrimination not to allow travel with friends because of wheelchair use.

 

[221129]

What would happen if a wheelchair passenger was in a group of 6? It must be discrimination not to allow travel with friends because of wheelchair use.

Not really

 

[KingJ]

An elderly relative and friend were travelling from Bath to London just before Christmas. They do not have any formally recognised mobility impairment, just a bit slow as tends to happen when you age! Anyhou, due to I beleive a short-form, a 5 car IET ended up turning up - placing them at the wrong place on the platform for where they had reserved seats in Standard Class. Therefore, they boarded at the doors in front of them which happened to be First Class, intending to walk through to their seats in Standard Class. Upon boarding however, alongside another passenger with a mobility impairment, the onboard staff directed them to sit in First Class despite my relative mentioning they only held Standard Class tickets - I can only assume that the onboard staff presumed them to be travelling with this other passenger with a mobility impairment! They were even offered food/drink from the trolley free of charge - despite mentioning again that they only held Standard Class tickets and offering to pay for the teas they wanted!

Although perhaps a lot of that shouldn't have happened, it certainly left them with a very good impression of GWR and has also encouraged them to travel in First Class in the future!

 

[jon0844]

I am surprised a new train wouldn't have a wheelchair area in standard class. If the solution is to bump people up to first class, that's fine but it could cause problems if it means splitting groups up.

Is there any particular reason for not having put in a space for a wheelchair? Even using tip-up seating (which I know can cause some issues if someone sits down and is then asked to leave) would seem acceptable on a train that can restrict areas via the reservations system.

 

[357]

When I was working on stations I'd regularly put people in first, especially Visually Impaired Passengers if standard was busy. Always said that if they have any problems tell the staff to phone my station and ask for me. Never received any calls in many years.

 

[JamesT]

I am surprised a new train wouldn't have a wheelchair area in standard class. If the solution is to bump people up to first class, that's fine but it could cause problems if it means splitting groups up.

Is there any particular reason for not having put in a space for a wheelchair? Even using tip-up seating (which I know can cause some issues if someone sits down and is then asked to leave) would seem acceptable on a train that can restrict areas via the reservations system.

My understanding from the Class 800 thread is that 2 spaces is sufficient for a 5 car train. That only needs one area in the train, so it makes most sense to put it into First Class and upgrade from Standard Class than to downgrade First Class ticket holders. A 9 car train has twice as many spaces, so they do have some in Standard.
If you put in more spaces on the 5 car train, you'd be mostly wasting space. I don't agree that tip-up seats would be an adequate substitute for proper rows of seats and as you note they are often abused.
Other disabilities are catered for in Standard, there are Priority seats and an accessible toilet.

 

[dyst]

As a wheelchair user using GWR trains relatively often, it's so much better having the wheelchair spaces in first. On the HSTs, and even the refurbished Turbos, the wheelchair spaces are very much shared spaces (luggage, buggies etc) in standard, so even if you reserve your space there's no guarantee you can actually sit in it. On the new trains, I've never had a problem accessing the wheelchair spaces, probably because they're in first. It's also really useful having access to staff in case of emergencies/carry on etc.