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I'd be interested to know if people think this is discrimination before I send off a strongly worded letter to a particular train operating company and perhaps also to some passenger group if I can find one which represents disabled passengers.

 

As many of you are aware I am unable to use a telephone due to sensory/verbal processing issues amongst other things.

 

I had wanted to go on a short trip just to get some air outside of London and give myself a bit of a break from everything that has been happening. I looked up the cost for the train I wanted and it came to just under £30 which is the sort of cost I could afford for a short treat. However, there was an asterisk and a see the small print by this fare which read as telephone fare only.

 

No good to me, so, because I've come across this before went to the train travel centre who have been helpful in the past. I explained the problem, they were really good and called the train company offering the deal I want. Train company says no, only if she calls herself. Travel man explained problem but they still said no. To cap it off, he looked at the fare he could offer me - £127. This would be on the same train, at the same time and most likely in the same seats as the cheap phone only fare. There was nothing he could do to override the system and nothing I can do to get the tickets as they won't even let someone else call as it has to be the passenger and card holder themselves. :(

 

I can't afford £127 so I'm not going to be going, which has upset me because I was looking forward to a short break. :(

 

Is this fair? :unsure:

 

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No! This is definately not fair at all! I also cannot speak on the phone, so I would be in the same position. I know that there is a disabled persons railcard that means you get 1/3 off of the original price. I think it costs £20 to buy it though, so it's only good if you use trains regularly. I think to be allowed it you have to be claiming some level of Disability Living Allowance (not sure if you are, I've seen you post before but I don't know your situation). I think there is also a bus pass available which allows free bus travel and money off of railfare (not sure how much) and I think it is free to get hold of one. I think you should complain, it was very unfair of them to treat you that way even after explaining the situation!

From Willow

x

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Yes, I have the rail card and my bus-pass is somewhere in the post (a looooooong story for another day! :rolleyes:).

 

The man in the travel centre was very helpful; I showed him my railcard and he accepted what I was saying about my difficulty without question which was a pleasant change. He was clearly cross with the system and felt guilty at not being able to help me. These were the quoted prices with the railcard. The difference was only whether I phoned up or did it in person (no Internet or post option either).

 

I think I shall complain because I am feeling in an argumentative mood! :whistle::devil:

 

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definitely sounds like discrimination to me. Companies MUST make "reasonable adjustments" to allow disabled customers to access the same services as non-disabled. therefore, saying that you have to call personally is direct discrimination under the DDA. In your "strongly worded letter" I suggest you give them the opportunity to offer you compensation then suggesting that you may wish to take further proceedings if not satisfied.

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I don't know where you stand on this issue, but have you looked into whether you may be entitled to funding for a text-phone?

 

Alternatively, do you know a woman (or a girlie-sounding man) who could pretend they are you and make the call for you?

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Alternatively, do you know a woman (or a girlie-sounding man) who could pretend they are you and make the call for you?

 

that is not solving the big issue though!

 

I would also suggest you wander down to your local CAB. They could help you write the letter if you need it, but they could also log it as a national issue and bring some pressure to bear on the train companies to stop being such idiots!

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I don't know where you stand on this issue, but have you looked into whether you may be entitled to funding for a text-phone?

This is what my medical team have been arguing for for a long time as it would also allow me access to NHS direct, on-call docs etc, but we do not have individual landlines in halls (internet is wireless) and they cannot be easily put in given the old building structures - and the college won't allow the building work.

 

I should be getting some specialist help to try and overcome my phone difficulties but it doesn't help in the short term.

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i NEVER travelled on a train before! i set myself a target on NAS support plan of going down to visit my auntie in hertfordshire i want to achieve total independence without support but i got to catch my first one king cross in London and the other to stevenage my auntie came down yestoday explained i asked her if she'd mind me coming down to see her by train! she said she'd meet me at stevenage train station i don't know whether to get my support worker to get me to King Cross in London then try rest myself but scared and anxious i get lost and confused at other end! i want some personal own time with my auntie and not with my support worker with us feel bit closed in uncomfortable suffocated or whether i want her to come the whole way down with me? havn't made up my mind yet! don't know what to do how to comprise i think sounds in King's Cross may spook due to sensory issues loud noises crowds social anx etc what do you think? what should i do? i been told that there and return with cost me £49 and i'll have to ask if pay for my support worker train ticket out my individual personal budget! got to brave something i wanted to do achieve for ages! as miss her alot! and my auntie said anytime i'm welcome going to plan train times with my support worker got leaflet other day! i got to let my auntie know in advance as she goes out and about to mates alot! i'm determined to do this! what would you do? what you think possible? i'm desperate to see my auntie more now my nan died!

 

XKX

 

 

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I would suggest youyr support worker to go with you to Kings Cross (Which is absolutely awful even for NT people - so crowded, large & busy), but try and do the main line journey yourself. Take it one step at a time :thumbs:

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Don't start with King's Cross!!! That's a hell of a station, a major London terminal with multiple platforms in different parts of the station, queue holding areas, various barriers and currently loads of building work so there is no where to get away if you need some down time. It also has platforms numbered with fractions ;)

 

All of the London terminals will be difficult (to anyone). I would start with a far more local journey and build up. If you do want to do a London terminal, maybe start with one of the much smaller ones like Charing Cross so you're used to the idea of a concourse, barriers, displays etc and all the noise, then build up to something like Waterloo which is huge but all the platforms are in one line with one destination board and the trains there are not going miles (say to the North or Scotland) so there are less people with baggage and less lost people wandering round. Also, from all my experience, they are the most friendly and helpful staff :thumbs:

 

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i always get my train tickets online and that seems to work well. i've always got the best price by using the train line one. i used to get my return fare from wales to west sussex for £12 with no concession card on there and now you have the option to pick up the tickets at the station in most places so dont even have to pay postage

 

i dont think the phone thing is discrimination as all offers are at the discretion of the company and are often limited in their accessibility - ie text only, online only.. phone only is just another extension of this

Edited by NobbyNobbs

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i dont think the phone thing is discrimination as all offers are at the discretion of the company and are often limited in their accessibility - ie text only, online only.. phone only is just another extension of this

 

Interesting point, Nobby but I'm not sure I agree, and although I'm no expert on the DDA I think Mumble might have a case - it's worth a try . Text /online/phone offers are theoretically open to anyone. OK If I don't have access to the equipment, I can't take advantage of the offer, but I could still go to the library to use a computer, or use a public phone etc. if I chose to. But Mumble is prevented from accessing the phone offer for a reason related to her disability, so it could be a discrimination issue. If the company offered textphone communication as an alternative, would that be a reasonable adjustment?

 

Mumble I'd be interested to hear how you get on with your complaint.

 

K x

Edited by Kathryn

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Mumble I'd be interested to hear how you get on with your complaint.

Well I had a letter from the train company concerned today...

 

They didn't even see fit to apologise for the difficulties encountered and clearly didn't value me as a customer :shame:

 

They did however point out that they're spending £20million on improving accessibility ... through station refurbishment (which looking at their website is lifts and ramps). They don't appear to have any comprehension of the point I was making that not all disabilities are physical :wallbash: It was basically, we welcome feedback and like to incorporate it but they will only identify areas where there is a 'clear need for improvement' - in other words where improvement will lead to greater profits regardless of customer experience. :shame:

 

Well, Mumble isn't put off that easily -next step is a letter to Passenger Focus who oversee rail passenger needs. :devil:

 

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You go girl!!!

 

I'm not a lawyer but I am legally trained & qualified & I reckon it's discrimination under the DDA, so at the very least they ought to have the decency to listen to you properly and explain in what way it is not a reasonable adjustment to allow the ticket office people to book the ticket for you!

 

Or failing that, a freebie ticket to somewhere in compensation LOL

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Well I had a letter from the train company concerned today...

 

They didn't even see fit to apologise for the difficulties encountered and clearly didn't value me as a customer :shame:

 

They did however point out that they're spending £20million on improving accessibility ... through station refurbishment (which looking at their website is lifts and ramps). They don't appear to have any comprehension of the point I was making that not all disabilities are physical :wallbash: It was basically, we welcome feedback and like to incorporate it but they will only identify areas where there is a 'clear need for improvement' - in other words where improvement will lead to greater profits regardless of customer experience. :shame:

 

Well, Mumble isn't put off that easily -next step is a letter to Passenger Focus who oversee rail passenger needs. :devil:

 

Hi Mumble.I think it might be worth copying your letter to the organisations that represent passengers views [don't know what they are called] .Also to the organisation that monitors the rail companies and can fine them for not meeting requirements. :rolleyes::devil: I would add some comments regarding lack of customer service to the original complaint too.Karen.

 

Edited having found that Passenger Focus appear to be the organisation that monitors passenger views so you may not need to contact anyone elase.It is just unfortunate that their main source of support also appears to be a telephome help-line. :rolleyes::wallbash: Karen.

Edited by Karen A

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