Putting access on the (tube) map
I hope that Ouch! readers outside the capital - and, of course, outside the UK - will forgive us if we get a bit London-centric for a moment. Because we're going to talk about the tube, that famously largely inaccessible network of Victorian and Edwardian staircases, tunnels, escalators and huge gaps which you're told very loudly to 'mind' when leaping between train and platform.
Okay, perhaps I'm being a little unfair. Transport for London has been making efforts to make the underground more accessible to disabled travellers, but it's an uphill task, as a quick game of 'spot the wheelchair symbol' on the current tube map will probably demonstrate. This week, however, TfL has launched a couple of new tube maps - one to show where are located on the network, and the other detailing . And it seems that when we say 'detailing', we mean 'detailing'. That's certainly what noted London blogger thought when he took a look at the step-free access map in an entry entitled . To say it's confusing would, seemingly, be an understatement:
But why are the blobs different colours? Ah, that's to explain how you cross the gap between the platform and the train. Some gaps are too wide, and some gaps are too high, and you'll not be wheeling aboard the train if that breach is too great. The colours warn you about vertical height (green means up to 2 inches, amber up to 5 inches, and red up to a foot) and the letters warn you about horizontal chasm (A means no more than 3½ inches, B no more than 7 and C no more than 10). Bow Church's green A means that the gap's a doddle to cross, whereas Stratford's red C suggests a hoverchair might be needed to climb aboard. Quick test for you - can you instantly say what the two blobs at West Ham mean? No, I thought not. This stuff really takes a lot of unravelling.
Diamond Geezer frequently writes about all aspects of London's transport system, and doesn't forget about accessibility when he does so. So take a look at this post if you get the chance - even if the details give you a headache and you decide just to get a cab instead, it'll at least prove to be an entertaining read.
Comment number 1.
At 27th Jan 2009, RVM wrote:A foot-high step ten inches away and a precipitous drop in between it and you would be a daunting prospect for anybody, with any level of mobility!
That's just daft.
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Comment number 2.
At 28th Jan 2009, Wheelie EDSer wrote:This is something I addressed on Radio 4 last week (listen again: /radio4/youandyours/items/03/2009_03_fri.shtml )
Basically there IS a guide to the height between the train and the platform - and the gap is prohibitively big in most cases. It doesn't matter if station to platform is step free, if you can't get on the train.
Also, something which is ignored is which trains have spaces for wheelchair users once you are on board. Some lines do, on SOME stock. Otherwise you are stuck in the door, people fall over you and the whole thing is frustrating and painful. I'd like to see that documented.
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Comment number 3.
At 2nd Feb 2009, Shane Hogan wrote:It's great to see this level of detail available for users with disabilities, but it is an awful pity that the map information will be inaccessible for up to 8% of men.
The use of red/green/amber coloured dots to convey the size of the gap will be difficult or impossible to interpret for the 8% of men that are red/green colour blind. The WAI WCAG guidelines provide useful information on how to present information in way that will be accessible for all.
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