twitter.com/sweetfa22/status/1020301123322859520?s=19
For those not on Twitter.
Long story short. I'm disabled and use a mobility scooter when travelling any distance. Myself, my mum and 3 kids under 10 were kicked off a northern line train from Blackpool to Preston as the conductor said my mobility scooter didn't fold up so wasn't allowed on the train. My scooter does fold (as it fits in my car boot) and I argued with him about this but he made us all get off the train. I was so angry and embarrassed about it that I didn't think to say NO or to record it for evidence. We were humiliated, members of the public were outraged on our behalf too.
We went to complain about it and the guy in charge at the time said that as my scooter didn't fold up to hand baggage size then it wasn't allowed. He admitted buggies, wheelchairs and prams were allowed but my folding scooter wasn't.
I've complained on twitter and managed to get a reply from Northern rail saying I should have been allowed to travel and I should fill in their online complaint form. I did this and am still waiting for a reply. Any ideas on the next steps? I've emailed local news pages and the rail companies but I'm getting nowhere. I'd booked assistance for each part of our journey to and from Blackpool so I'd have expected not to envisage travelling problems as they were aware I was a scooter user.
Can anyone suggest a suitable next course of action.
(so as not yo drip feed, we were told to get the replacement bus service from Blackpool to Preston and the bus driver had no problem with my scooter. I didn't even have to fold it up)
Thanks x