To think the London Underground staff who use 'elf and safety as an excuse not to help people with buggies at stations without lifts are basically being bone idle

[quesadilla]

Tried to get into central London yesterday alone with dd in buggy. At two separate stations without lifts I asked for help and was told they couldn't because of health and safety or insurance. (And i have heard this several times before.) Given that only about 10 per cent of tube stations have lifts I think refusing to help in any way is lame and amounts to discrimination, albeit of a passive and unintentional kind. I know that sounds a bit hysterical but the practical outcome of this situation is that if your child needs to be in a buggy and if you don't have anyone with you to help you you cannot travel on the underground...

I have a weak bladder. Another risk.

aNot just London. Our Train station wouldnt help disabled DM with Dd when she was in Pram. She asked them and she got told no because of "elf and safety". Their lift had broken down!

i do wish people would stop emulating the Daily Mail and talking about 'elf and safety'
it is health and safety and there for a good reason

misspixie i would suggesst that a disabled person taking a pram on the train probably isnt a great move

That being said however I do see Why Staff cant it though. Saddest thing I ever Saw was everyone walk past the blind Man. Felt so bad for him and helped him off the train whilst I went to fetch somebody from the station for him.

What are disabled parents meant to do then Burberry? The DM had planned a journey that was achievable single handed but then been stymied by a broken lift. Should nobody who needs a lift ever go anywhere in case it breaks down?

I was being flippant burberryqueen and know I shouldhave said health and safety sorry. She had used the Lift to get down to the Platform to meet me off the train and mine ended up Running late so she Turned to go back up and found it out of order. Told her she had jinxed it!

That's bullshit burberry, disabled people should have allowances made for them. Not blamed for daring to go out and use a public service

MurderOfGoths the stations stairs were a right bitch hassle. Listed so couldn't be changed adaptations had to be minimum etc. The kindest person that ever stopped offered and helped me first thing in the morning with Dd was a very well to do Business Man. Makes you think :)

BurberryQueen Maybe. Yet at the same time why shouldn't they?

It's daft isn't it that listed status somehow trumps accessibility? Really odd priorities there.

There are some lovely people out there though :)

The London Underground should be making it accesable.

I know having a buggy doesn't make some disabled, but there are wheel chair users that can't access the LU.

Why not turn the stairs into travalators

it was more the pram really....it does sound really annoying!

Indeed MurderOfGoths. Just made me wonder what would have happened if it was someone in a wheelchair that had to get back up/across to another platform.

I don't think the TFL staff should be lifting prams etc. But, I do think the lack of lifts / wheelchair access in the underground is unacceptable. It should not be so difficult for people with restricted mobility to use the Tube. However, I can imagine the cost of fixing the situation is prohibitive.

McNewPants - normal staircases are too steep to be travelators.

Completely agree. YANBU. I have had staff refuse to help me carry my buggy. In fact my husband is a lawyer for TFL/London Underground working on Step Free Access. He says staff are not allowed to help carry a buggy with a child in it for H&S reasons. I can sort of understand with today's culture of suing everyone and anyone, and I would not disobey any rules myself set down by my employer if I could face disciplinary action/lose my job. However all they need to do is ask you to take your child out of the buggy!!

So who'd be doing the job they're supposed to be doing meanwhile? Or would you agree to yet another increase in fares so they can employ porters on every platform. A bit absurd, I admit.

Your DD is too big for a sling? I doubt it - I've had my babies in a sling from birth to walking and beyond.

Also, Chibbs, you should not be working at a station if your ankle is that weak. What would happen if there was a fire and/or emergency and you needed to usher people up/down the stairs? Your attitude also stinks.

That's ridiculous Lottie! You think someone shouldn't have a job checking or selling tickets, or making sure train leave a station safely because they have a weak ankle?

There are plenty of jobs that people can do with a weak ankle FFS! Carrying people's pushchairs up and down stairs is probably not in Chibbs' job description.

Actually it is. My husband works for them!

CrazyLottie, why does the fact that your husband works for LT mean that Chibbs' job description includes carrying pushchairs up and down stairs? I would money on the fact that it doesn't.

Anyone who uses the term "elf and safety" is definitely BVU. As is anyone who expects LT staff to help them with their buggy and calls them jobsworths if they don't.

Eh?! Their job involves helping customers. This involves helping people with buggies up and down the stairs (providing the child is not in the buggy). They are also trained in emergencies - terrorist attacks, fires, derailed trains etc. This is the case whether they work in a ticket office or on the platform. Step Free Access (and helping those with baggage/buggies/disabled people) is part of their training - I'm not sure why you find this so unacceptable?! It is perfectly reasonable, and part of their job description, to assist customers. The H&S aspect only comes into it when a child is IN THE BUGGY.