Oh dear what a disaster. I was due to attend a 1.30pm appointment Thursday 13 October at the dental clinic in Guy’s Hospital. This required a tube journey to London Bridge and my first time accessing the tube as a wheelchair user. When using the journey planner I could not grasp, to be what I consider a very confusing set of symbols supposedly designed to make your journey by wheelchair as smooth as possible. On entering my trip details in I’m provided with a very simple 34 minute ride using Hammersmith and City Line then transferring to the Jubilee line at Baker Street. By bus it’s a 4 bus journey taking 1hour 10 minutes. This is where I made one of two mistakes. I was always journey planning as a mobile user not in need of step free wheelchair accessibility. The first box you see under cycling and other options includes a full step free access symbol which completely went over my head. The next boxes were the tube journey offered, impossible in the wheelchair then the 4 bus trip which was impractical. I began a Google search on how to access the Jubilee line by lift but was finding this difficult. I downloaded a pdf Avoiding Stairs Tube Guide. This was a jumble of confusing symbols. My second mistake was not going by taxi but I wasn’t sure I was mobile or strong enough to enter and exit the cab. Finally the day before travel and exhausting all attempts to find a solution I called TFL. The advisor gave me instructions to enter at Paddington Elizabeth line and take the tunnel to connect via lift to the Bakerloo line, exiting at Waterloo then using the lift to join the Jubilee line. Arriving at Waterloo the gap was too wide to allow the wheelchair off so we traveled the two stops to Elephant and Castle. A supervisor attempted to get Waterloo to have someone on the platform to provide assistance but they didn’t appear to be cooperative. Finally just before our tube departed the supervisor advised that there wasn’t lift access to the Jubilee line at Waterloo. The only solution was to return to Paddington, missing my dental hospital appointment. In order to find out and to see what another advisor would suggest I just called the TFL number. It’s not a pleasant experience. Not only do they suggest that you avoid using public transport, rather walk or cycle to free up the space for those who really need it but you should only press star to speak to someone if you are disabled otherwise use the automated service. We have an NHS service that we are supposed to protect by not using it and a public transport system we shouldn’t use either. This is really clown town London 2022. Kevin the advisor I just spoke to (Friday 14 October) was polite but seemed to be finishing a meal or taking dishes to the sink. When I asked if he would kindly enter my journey to see what his best option would be he said NO and apologised as the system was down. It isn’t down on my I Pad. In future I will avoid using the tube as a disabled passenger. Maybe in time and with practice it would become easier to navigate but this experience has left me disappointed and dissatisfied. UPDATE 20 OCTOBER 2022. My journey to the dental hospital should have been a breeze. It’s my fault for not using the step free symbol to plan my trip. Had I done so taking the Elizabeth Line from Paddington to Farringdon, then transferring to Thames Link for London Bridge. Why oh why did the TFL advisor not use it instead of giving me the wrong information. Why didn’t she recommended this for future trips. Instead she said grab a leaflet which will give you the information you need. As I’ve already explained the symbols are impossible to understand. I now have to wait over a month for another dental appointment.
