Taxi Driver Online

Rail passenger told 'get a taxi' for journey from Herne Bay

Herne Bay station Passengers travelling to London need to use the stairs and underpass to access the platform at Herne Bay station

A pensioner was told to "get a taxi" as part of her railway journey when she asked about disabled access at Herne Bay station in Kent, her son claims.

Ann Nicholson, 74, was buying a return ticket from London Victoria to Herne Bay on Sunday.

She was advised to get a taxi to Whitstable, about five miles away, for the return journey as the platform at Herne Bay did not have disabled access.

Ms Nicholson suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and is registered disabled.

Her son, John Nicholson, said disabled access at Herne Bay was requested two years ago.

Passengers using the London-bound trains need to use steps and an underpass to get to the platform.

A spokeswoman for the rail company said: "Southeastern will be putting Herne Bay station forward for consideration for funding.

"Major works - providing lifts etc - rests with Network Rail who own the stations.

"Some of our stations are over 150 years old and are inaccessible to those in a wheelchair.

"We will provide a taxi to those who cannot use the station."

Mr Nicholson, the co-founder of Kent Commuter's Alliance, said: "Normally the station staff are very helpful, but the advice [was] to 'get a cab' - there was no advice about Southeastern picking up the tab.

"Herne Bay has a lot of people with mobility problems, plus people with prams, and those wanting London-bound trains always need assistance.

"The station isn't always staffed."

Network Rail said about £60m had been spent so far on accessibility improvements on Kent's routes.

source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-21585768

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

here passengers are told to get off at the next station down the line wait an hour for the next train to bring them in on the only platform accessible !!

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

My ex wife had that problem a couple of years ago on the same line. She was on a day out with some wheelchair bound people from a day centre. They got on the train and went to Peterborough. When they got back to our station they naturally got off. The train departed and it was then that they discovered that the station master had finished for the day and there was no way of getting the wheelchairs over the tracks. They had to wait for a hour and get the next train to Leicester, cross there and get the next train back home. Fantastic customer service. The track crossing has now been modified so that passengers can now phone, presumably to leicester and the gate can be opened remotly.

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Grandad,

I think the suggestion of getting a cab is a very good one indeed.

The member of staff should be congratulated.

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IDFIMH

At one time on our station they were using cctv to catch and prosecute people crossing by the barrow crossing I have seen BTP cars pull up just after a train departs and arrest people for it or stop them and give them a good talking to. Our station has also been fitted with the button and answerphone system BUT the signs say that only staff can use this unless they have changed will have a look tomorrow and check perhaps they have relented and provided some sort of access

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector