Not to use tube escalators with pushchair

[LegoVsFoot]

I was chatting with my friend who thinks it's unreasonable that I don't take my buggy up or down tube escalators. My stop has a massive one so I go to the next and walk.

I know some people do but I think it looks really dangerous especially when they're so steep. AIBU?

Lots of people do it and I did back in the day but actually I hate to see it now. If an accident happened and people do fall on escalators it would potentially be catastrophic for the baby. Absolutely not worth the risk imo.

Lots of tube stations have lifts so there's zero reason for anyone to do this. I walk to the next one if there's no wheelchair life

Tube escalators are particularly dangerous compared to a shopping centre, I don't know how anyone can do it tbh and I'm not even the most risk averse person

That’s the theory. In practice, the length of time journeys take as a result of not having step free access to tubes can be a major obstacle to making that journey. If the combined bus routes take 2 hours where the tube takes 40 minutes, it places a very real practical limitation on your choices.

Having been on the Tower Hamlets accessible transport forum before we moved out of London, TfL aren’t attempting to make all stations accessible over time. Just to try to identify the most viable in a given area so you can get within range of where you need to go and either wheel, bus or cab it to your destination once you leave that lone beacon of accessibility.

Maybe they will very slowly spread step free access once that initial goal has been reached, but the Victorian infrastructure does present some issues, as you’ve said.

What’s hugely frustrating is the lack of joined up thinking. When they closed the Whitechapel Art Gallery exit at Aldgate East for months to make upgrades, for example, they had an opportunity they could have used to build in the step free access then, which would have been incredibly helpful, given the lack of general accessibility for tubes in that area. Aldgate, Aldgate East, Liverpool Street, Tower Hill, Old Street and Whitechapel were none of them properly accessible, even if the odd platform was step-free to access. But it wasn’t part of the overall access plan so they didn’t bother. The token step-free station in the area now is Whitechapel with its Elizabeth Line access, years later, but they could have made Aldgate East step free then without further inconvenience while that exit was closed.

Much as I would love for all tube stations to become accessible in time, it’s simply not going to happen.

But that explicitly says that buggies must be folded on a moving escalator of you can’t use it…

That's double or tandem buggies only. Single buggies are fine.

It’s up to you. I take a pram on tube escalators about once a week. Just make sure it’s a light pram not overburden with shopping and child is properly strapped in and it’s fine though, even TFL say so. My only escalator mishap was in my youth and wearing spiky stilettos that got stuck in the groove- clearly they were designed with taxis in mind, should have known really, they were Prada 🤣

It’s completely normal to hold the buggy on the escalators. Obviously if you can get off only 1 short stop away if not an issue but that’s not the case across most of the lines.

Ah, you’re right, my mistake.

I wouldn't. I recently witness a woman fall on the escalator because she had multiple large suitcases and couldn't be bothered to wait for the lift.
She was ok - she fell going up so she just landed on the escalator rather than tumbling all the way down.
But it could have very easily been a nasty accident.
I have found there is always plenty of people around on the tube to help (staff and members of the public).
I wouldn't risk it.

Yanbu not to do it if you don’t think you can manage it safely but it must be pretty limiting for you. Lots of stops don’t have lifts.

I've commuted and travelled around town loads with my 3. Once you get the hang of it escalators are safe and easy. We bought a lightweight, narrow, 4 wheel umbrella stroller specifically for travel. Easier to wedge when going up, easier for people to get past and lighter to carry up stairs if. I one was around to help.

Have there been any cases of babies getting injured in escalators on the tube? I've not heard (or seen) any and I've been travelling by tube for nearly 30 years. I have, however, seen people in impractical shoes or blind drunk who fall.

Actually the vast majority of stations do not have lifts.
The ones that do don’t have them to every platform.
‘there is no need to do this’ is so so far from the reality.

I've seen a pram wheel get stuck. Fortunately no one was hurt as the emergency button was pressed quickly and it was quiet.

The oases of accessibility in each cluster of stops seems like a reasonable compromise but not taking advantage of closures to take out steps is pretty shit. The theory isn't always borne out in practice: see also, buses.

@Sissynova many do, and I just get the bus if I ever ran into that problem.

Seriously, a fall from a tube escalator is going to be deeply unpleasant (fatal) and people will be dropping like dominoes.

I really wouldn't but sure, others can if they feel they need to.

Only one third of stations are step free!

Saying “most” or “many” is just disingenuous.
A third is not most by any means so ‘just get a bus’ when 2/3rds of stations have no lifts isn’t always a viable option. Most people can’t just willingly turn a 35 minute journey into a 2hr journey across 3 busses which they may or may not get on with a buggy anyway.

This is London, I think it's a bit dramatic to say that it'll be a 2h journey to get the bus instead (which come every 3-5 minutes) or to walk to the next tube stop. Not a problem I can say I've had, really.

As I said, up to the parent to take such a risk.

Or rail and a few minutes walk. I still don't think there's any need. There are so many alternatives in somewhere so well connected plus with google maps to figure it out for you

So someone in quite a different scenario?

Actually it isn't dramatic at all. Take the Northern line for example - there is only one step free station further south than Waterloo or Elephant & Castle, and that is Morden. So anyone living in Clapham, Balham, Tooting, Colliers Wood etc would have to get a bus to either an overground station (also many are not step free) or Morden or up to Vauxhall etc. That would easily add 45mins from where i live. Noone is saying you have to wait 45mins for a bus - it's the length of the journey to get to a step free station.

Lucky you that you live in a part of the city with better accessibility links.

@LittleBearPad she was pushing the large suitcase in front of her the same way you would push a pushchair.
She fell forward, the suitcase fell towards her - her body stopped it falling.
The same fall could of easily happened with a pushchair. If a baby in it was parent facing they could have gone face down straight into the escalator.
Hair or clothing could have got caught. Could have been very very nasty.
Obviously that's a lot of "could" but I wouldn't risk it.
As I said - there are almost always people who are willing to help on the tube.

Me too, I loved in London before the days of the lifts at most stations and did it all the time or wouldn't have got anywhere.

I've done it on occasion when there hasn't been another convenient option, but it's not ideal and it is dangerous.

@NoIncomeTaxNoVAT true with northern line not being accessible throughout but there's bus. The bus is usually similar journey time and better than having to sit on he screeching northern line end to end - my head is hurting just thinking about it