Manual ramps on the Tube during the Games
Transport for All
We recently reported that Transport for London (TfL)...
We recently reported that Transport for London (TfL) will be putting in place manual boarding ramps at 16 Tube stations during Olympics.
These ramps will be in operation at key interchange stations which do not have step-free access from the platform onto the train.
Here is a complete list of those stations which will be using the ramps during the Games:
West Ham (District and Hammersmith & City lines), Fulham Broadway, Wimbledon, Southfields, Earl’s Court (District line), Westminster (District and Circle lines), Stratford (Central line), Woodford, Oxford Circus (Bakerloo line), Queen’s Park, Hammersmith (Hammersmith & City and Circle lines), King’s Cross St. Pancras (Hammersmith & City and Circle lines), Morden, Stockwell (Northern line), Finchley Central and Edgware stations.
TfL have indicated on more than one occasion that these ramps may be left in place after the Games, if they are deemed successful.
Transport for All is committed to not only ensuring this happens, but that these manual boarding ramps and rolled out across the London Underground network.
There are many Tube stations that currently display the wheelchair symbol – but only have step free access from the street to the platform but not actually on to the train. Manual ramps could be a cheap way of solving this problem.
To support our case, we need as many wheelchair and mobility scooter users as possible to use these ramps over the next few weeks and send us their feedback.
Can you help us test out the manual boarding ramps at one of the stations listed above?
It is not necessary to test a ramp at peak time, and you can choose a time and location to suit you. It would be great to know which stations you might able to test in advance, as ideally we want to cover all 16 stations. Once you have used one of the ramps, please answer the following questions and send them to sarah@transportforall.org.uk.
Date/Time
Station?
How busy was the station?
Were you happy with the staff assistance when using the ramp?
Did you board or disembark the train with the manual boarding ramp?
If boarding, how long did you have to wait to use the ramp?
If disembarking, was the ramp ready when you arrived at your destination?
How did you find using the ramp itself?
Are there any Tube stations that you thing could benefit from having a manual boarding ramp?
Any other comments:
We are hoping to write an open letter to the Mayor and TfL urging them to roll out the ramps across the Tube network; and would very much like to include the results of this survey – so please send the results of your ramp test in before 20th August.
Together, we CAN improve access to the Underground!
