TfL Ref: FOI-0334-1718

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 16 May 2017 asking for information about our policies.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we do hold the information you require.

Information on this is covered within “Rule Books 9 and 11” and “Managers Handbooks”. I have extracted the relevant parts of these documents below to answer your questions in relation to our policies in relation to the issues you raise. Please see below:

The ‘Station Presentation’ section of the Customer Service Supervisors / Managers Handbook states that:

When a lift is out of service:

• display a poster explaining that the lift is out of service
  
  
• tell stations either side
  
  
• display the information on the train operators boards

Use general information boards to tell customers of the out of service lift as they might choose to use alternative routes.

The London Underground Rule Book 11 (Station Management) states that:

(In relation to customer information boards)

You must display on customer information boards (where possible) information about any disruptions to:

• the train service
  
  
• any station facilities.

(In relation to station PA announcements)

You must make sure the following information is given to customers:

• train service details, including train destinations
  
  
• if the destination of a train is to be changed in any way
  
  
• advice on platform train interface safety
  
  
• details of any facilities that are not available
  
  
• customer flow and crowd control instructions (where appropriate)
  
  
• details of evacuation procedures (when needed).

In terms of what staff should do to ensure that a disabled person can complete their journey in the event of a lift going out of service, there are a range of options, and the appropriate option to use will depend on the particular circumstances.

Rule Book 9 (Lifts, escalators and moving walkways) states that:

There are several options for discussion with a wheelchair user when a station is being evacuated or their planned route is no longer viable due to severe service disruption. These can include any combination of the following:

• boarding another accessible train
  
  
• using other step free access, if available
  
  
• waiting in a place of safety until the service resumes
  
  
• to be assisted up a moving escalator by two members of staff.

Wheelchairs are only permitted to be carried in the up direction on escalators at designated stations, with trained staff.

If an alternative route is to be used, you must confirm:

• the route is viable for the wheelchair user, and
  
  
• staff will be available along the journey, where needed.

The ‘Managing Customer Service’ part of the Operational Manager Handbook states that:

You can book a special taxi, for example, in the following circumstances:

• ·operational requirements
  
  
• staff ill health issues
  
  
• for customers (for example, a customer taken ill or last train cancelled)
  
  
• for disabled customers if they are unable to use part of the network that is usually accessible to them

Information

If a lift at a step-free station is out of order, it might be appropriate to arrange a special taxi to help a disabled customer make part or all of their journey (taxis booked on an ad hoc basis are called ‘special taxis’ to differentiate them from scheduled taxis).

In relation to stairs, if the stairs are broken or obstructed such that they can’t be used and there is no alternative route, the station would be closed.

In relation to escalators, comparisons with lifts are difficult because often there is more than one escalator in the same direction in a bank, so it is rare that there will be no escalator access.  However, the point about booking a special taxi applies.

The ‘Managing customer service’ part of the Customer Service Supervisors / Managers Handbook states that:

Non-availability of step-free access

Information

London Underground has a legal obligation to provide alternative transport to a disabled customer if transport which is usually accessible to that customer becomes inaccessible.

If a customer who needs step-free access cannot use a step-free station and therefore cannot reach their step-free destination for one of the following reasons:

• a lift is out of service
  
  
• there is a planned closure
  
  
• there is service disruption or a station closure (which means that a disabled customer would have a more difficulty continuing their journey)

or

• an escalator or lift is out of service resulting in a disabled person, who is normally able to use a station is no longer able to
  
  
• a disabled customer has experienced significant disruption to their journey (for example they were inadvertently sent to an inaccessible station and couldn’t alight)

Make sure they are given help to plan an alternative accessible journey

Check:

• whether there is a bus or a rail replacement bus service which will take them to a step-free station en route (where they can continue their journey) or to their destination or, and
  
  
• whether the bus is accessible for the customer
  
  
• the alternative station is accessible to them

Information

A blue wheelchair logo on the Tube map means that a wheelchair user can board or alight. A white wheelchair logo means they are unlikely to be able to board or alight.

If there is a single accessible bus journey to the customer’s destination or a step-free station en route advise them of this. If there is not a single accessible bus journey you should offer an unscheduled taxi to the nearest available step free station en route or to their final destination if it is more practical.

Information

Disabled customers are likely to experience a much longer delay to their journey than non-disabled customers when using alternative routes, if this is the case consider using an unscheduled taxi.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely

Lee Hill

Senior FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London