Disabled Railway Passengers on the Rise

The number of disabled people using trains has more than trebled in the last 15 years according to figures released by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC).

A record 3.5 million disabled people travelled by train in the past year.  ATOC claimed the rise is due to disabled people taking advantage of discount cards and improved services and facilities.

The Disabled Person’s Card, held by 130,000 people in the UK, reduces the cost of most tickets by a third.  As well as discounts, other improvements include interactive maps, the facility to book assistance in advance of journeys and more wheelchair accessible vehiclesbeing used on train services.

More Improvements Needed

ATOC’s head of disability and inclusion, David Sindall, said: “Accessible public transport plays a key role in allowing disabled people to lead an independent life, so it’s good news that more and more people are taking advantage of the railcard.”

However, disability groups are calling for more to be done to help disabled travellers.  Leonard Cheshire Disability spokeswoman, Hannah Hollingworth, said: “We hear stories from disabled people of being stepped over in train carriages, trapped in toilets and having to wait a long time for assistance.”

The charity is calling on train companies to work with disabled people to ensure train services are as accessible and disabled friendly as possible.