Social media furore over lack of level boarding at Maryland station

[eldomtom2]

This seemed to be worth bringing up. A disability rights campaigner has put out a video on Twitter complaining about the lack of level boarding at Maryland station. It's getting a lot of traction with 1.7 million views thus far. Any thoughts on the topic, especially the claims I've seen that the Elizabeth line trains should have been built low-floored, along with of course the claims about ticket offices since this seems to be the main thrust of the campaigner's activism?

https://twitter.com/KatiePennick/status/1698412656183345228

 

[TFN]

It’s shocking that there’s no staff around. Obviously TfL stations are staffed first train to last so if there’s only one member there, they could be doing anything from skiving, doing security checks or using the toilet.

If there’s more than one staff member, there’s no excuse that could come from TfL. She mentioned that she checked the other platforms and concourse so if there was an emergency she would’ve obviously seen it.

 

[yorksrob]

The sensible option is to have the necessary staff available to deploy the ramp.

 

[rg177]

The issue with these stations that have no gateline (IIRC Maryland lacks one) and then a closed ticket office is that there's no obvious place to meet a member of staff - they could be anywhere.

Seeing as TfL is very much all about turn up and go assistance - they need to have something in place where a passenger can find out where they are, if they're just floating around.

TfL stations used to be an absolute ballache to get in contact with when I worked in a Passenger Assist team for another TOC. They all seemed to have slightly different procedures and there was no such thing as booking ahead - simply a case of turn up and let them organise it. For passengers used to sticking a booking in and having someone meet them - a lot didn't sound awfully reassured when I told them what they'd need to do.

 

[adelante_burns]

Maryland does have a gateline now

 

[357]

Lol. I remember the good old days when STM (agency) were supposed to be manning every station but were short of staff and had one person going between two or three stations updating the service information whiteboards to make it look like all of them were manned. Thought those days were over about 7 years ago!

 

[eldomtom2]

More noise on the topic of Elizabeth line accessibility. A Lib Dem assemblymember has asked for a review:

Calls for review into accessibility on the Elizabeth Line

Calls were made in the London Assembly yesterday for the Mayor to launch a review into accessibility along the Elizabeth Line. The call, from Liberal

londonlovesbusiness.com

Calls were made in the London Assembly yesterday for the Mayor to launch a review into accessibility along the Elizabeth Line.
The call, from Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon AM comes following reports from travellers with disabilities that they have been left unable to board stations along the line due to a lack of level access or boarding ramp.
Earlier this month, a video by Katie Pennick went viral amassing almost 3 million views after Katie was left stranded at Maryland station due to the ticket office being closed and no member of staff around to help with the manual boarding ramp, needed to board the train. Caroline also raised the issue of a lack of tactile paving on some platform edges on the line such as at Hanwell Station.
During her exchange with the Mayor, Caroline Pidgeon AM highlighted that the Elizabeth Line is supposed to be the jewel in the crown of Transport for London’s network and should be the exemplar of a truly accessible transport service, yet passengers are still experiencing problems.
The exchange follows from previous questions put to the Mayor by Assembly Member Pidgeon in July asking why under current plans there will be no level boarding at the planned £1.7 billion Old Oak Common Station.
In response to Assembly Member Pidgeon’s request for a review into accessibility on the Elizabeth Line, the Mayor agreed to look at staffing on the line as well as a wider audit into tactile paving at stations.