Trying to get home from Westminster in my wheelchair, I discover the lift at Kings Cross is out of order, with no advance warning.
The results are stressful, and an indictment of TFL's treatment of disabled travellers.
COMPARE THE ABOVE to London Underground's incident report...
At 1852 a wheelchair customer pressed the help point at the hub, bottom of escalators 16-19.
Lift #6 had been advertised as being out of service from 0629 this morning.
The gentleman complained that escalator 6 was out. CSM answered the call & explained that we have advertised that we are not step free on the TFL website.
The man asked what he should do & was given the suggestion that he take the Piccadilly Line lift to the platform, take a train to Caledonian Road & then take a bus down. He said that he'd miss his last train from KX. This displeased him & he started saying that it should be on a board at every station & that he has sued LU twice & would do it again. I again repeated that it has been advertised to which he asked if he's supposed to go online every time he travels?
Mid rant, the help point cut out. I could see him on CCTV still talking. Then he started hitting the emergency button repeatedly, which caused it to stick & the alarm go off continuously in the control room.
CSM , CSS & CSA started to make their way over to the hub, calling CSA to meet them there.
When they arrived, the man started going on about LU not caring about disabled people. "If it was an escalator out, it would be publicised everywhere, but because the lift is only for disabled people, you don't care".
I explained that the lifts are not just for disabled people. They are for anyone that wants to use them.
He again repeated that he's sued LU twice & this will be number 3.
He said that he had a train to catch from KX & it was his last train tonight.
Rather than stand arguing with him, CSM asked CSAs & if they felt comfortable using the escalator to take the man up on his wheelchair. The man was rather large, but both agreed.
The man was taken up escalator 16.
He thanked the 2 CSAs at the top & went on his way, still talking lawsuits.
Findings of immediate investigation (basic cause) :-
Lift 6 out of service for door repair.
Customer hadn't bothered to check the TFL website before he travelled.