Andrew, a 53-year-old man from Wavertree, found himself stranded miles away from his home due to a mistake made by Merseyrail staff. He had been out with his carer, enjoying a drink and listening to a band like he does every Tuesday. After the gig, they headed to Liverpool Central, where Andrew informed the staff that they were traveling to St Michael’s. They were allowed through the barrier and down onto the platform without any issues.
However, upon reaching St Michael’s station, Andrew discovered that the lift was out of service, leaving him stuck on the platform below. The staff advised him to continue to South Parkway on the last train of the evening, as it was the only way for him to get back to ground level. Despite his reluctance, Andrew had no other choice but to follow their advice.
Unfortunately, he was unable to get a taxi home from South Parkway due to his height and wheelchair. With no other options available, Andrew and his carer embarked on a 3.5-mile journey back home, which took over an hour. Feeling vulnerable and frustrated, Andrew expressed his discomfort being out late at night and having to wheel himself home.
In response to Andrew’s experience, Merseyrail expressed disappointment and vowed to investigate what went wrong. They acknowledged that their alternative travel arrangements did not work as intended in this case and offered a personal apology to Andrew. The head of customer strategy mentioned that they are looking into improvements to prevent such situations from happening in the future.
This incident highlights the importance of ensuring accessibility and proper assistance for passengers with disabilities. It serves as a reminder for transportation services to be mindful of the needs of all passengers, especially those who may require additional support. Hopefully, this experience will lead to better protocols and training for staff to handle similar situations more effectively in the future.