On track to help the disabled (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

On track to help the disabled

Ref. 28966-2A DISABLED couple says First Great Western is not doing enough to help wheelchair users.

Under proposals currently going before the Government, disabled people may have to wait another 30 years before all trains are fully disabled-friendly.

Now the charity Leonard Cheshire has launched a postcard campaign called All Aboard to persuade the Government to remove old trains with poor disabled facilities.

Eddie Freeman, 44, and his wife Geraldine, 41, of Elcombe, Wrough-ton were both born disabled following the 1960s Thalidomide scandal. They regularly experience problems when travelling to Bath.

Mr Freeman said: "Disabled passengers have long been treated like baggage. It's a lottery as to whether you get the ramps and a train that has ample space.

"When we do travel on them we have to book in advance.

"If we need to change the arrangements at the last minute we find ourselves in trouble. Disabled people are scared of travelling on trains."

Mrs Freeman said that she is encouraged by last year's refurbishment of Swindon station but she stressed more should now be done by rail companies.

"There is a gap in the system. The rail companies promise the earth but often it isn't there.

"The station staff do the best they can but the rail companies should do more.

"News that the same old trains will be operating in 30 years' time is worrying."

John Knight, head of policy at Leonard Cheshire said: "There are ambitious plans for people to be travelling to Mars within the next three decades, yet we still may not have accessible trains within this time."

Although First Great Western, which runs extensively around Swindon, is one of the better train operators when it comes to disabled access, the charity claims that it still has eight inaccessible carriages, which do not expire until 2024.

South Swindon MP Julia Drown added her support to the campaign.

She said: "Disabled passengers still do have problems and I would like to see big improvements in this area.

"You hear a lot of horror stories about passengers left stranded after being promised disabled provision."

Lynn Edginton, Swindon station manager, said: "Unfortunately, the problems are age old, because many of the station buildings are hundreds of years old.

"However, we do now have a new platform, which has made it significantly easier for disabled passengers.

"We would be looking to make further improvements when we next refurbish."

Elaine Wilde spokeswoman for First Great Western, which operates the majority of services around Swindon, said that it is committed to improving services.

She said: "We have 14 new Adelante trains of five carriages and 38 high-speed trains of eight carriages. Each train has some disabled facilities.

"Of course there is more we can do and we are constantly looking to improve facilities.

"We have a special hotline number, which people can call to book carriages."

Anyone wanting further information can call First Great Western on 08457 413775.

www.leonard-cheshire.org