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To: David Horne CEO

End Virgin Trains Disability Discrimination

Make first class travel available to wheelchair users.

Why is this important?

My simple request was that I would as a wheelchair user like the same opportunity as everyone else to buy a cheap 1st class ticket for a long journey. If you are not a wheelchair user you are perhaps not aware that the majority of Virgin East Coast rolling stock are ancient Diesels which do have one wheelchair space available which is not accessible by most wheelchairs nor do they have an accessible toilet their own words! Only the electric trains have an accessible toilet in First BUT when phoning or looking online there is no way to know which trains are suitable for me ie electric and in consequence I have missed the cheaper tickets, apparently and according to Virgin East Coast my fault for not booking sooner! Follow this link and see for yourself. https://www.virgintrainseastcoast.com/rail-travel/your-journey/assisted-travel/

Category

Updates

2017-03-22 23:07:06 +0000

100 signatures reached

2017-03-20 00:16:59 +0000

Thank you for your response and confirmation that you are at present breaching the Equality Act 2010 i.e. providing a service https://www.gov.uk/discrimination-your-rights/how-you-can-be-discriminated-against this is most helpful, now and in the future as the case progresses.

You have not mentioned that not only is it not possible for a disabled person to book a journey at a favourable price online when first released but nor is it possible to book a seat with your Journey Care Team on Tel, No. 03457 225 225 without being passed back and forth from person to person until you are lucky enough to contact someone who knows what to do and by which time all seats at favourable prices have gone.

You have never at any time offered to give me the same deal as an able bodied person wanting tickets in first class with an accessible toilet, is it too much to ask? Your attitude does nothing to strengthen your cause in that you are a company providing a service to all without discrimination.

2017-03-19 22:03:57 +0000

Dear Mr Short

Thank you for contacting us on 6 March 2017 regarding your query about reserving a wheelchair space when booking on line.

I am sorry that at this time it is not possible to reserve the wheelchair space due to some technical limitations when booking on line. Customers who normally require a wheelchair space arrange Passenger Assistance with us and the system is one that stands alone and is not linked with our web site.

We are currently working on our web site to make it far more user friendly and in the near future this type of process will be more clearly defined, so please watch this space for up and coming improvements.

I have passed your comments onto the Technical team who always appreciate comments from our customers in their work to improve our website.

Thank you once again for contacting us and we look forward to welcoming you on board again soon.


Yours Sincerely

2017-03-19 22:02:46 +0000

You've read the last email from VETEC and my response, now here's their latest offering.

2017-03-17 18:55:05 +0000

87 of 100 signatures reached. Please keep signing and SHARING with anyone you can think of.

2017-03-14 13:05:41 +0000

50 signatures reached

2017-03-13 18:47:32 +0000

Bryan Bryan The purchase of a ticket forms a contract if you change the trains around the obligation for you to get me from A to B still falls to you, as you well know.

2017-03-13 18:46:48 +0000

Bryan Bryan Yes, but the old trains could have the doors to the toilet widened and the cubicle made a little bigger until that time, the aisle could be widened just by taking a seat out. VTEC are still in breach of the equality act.

2017-03-13 18:46:15 +0000

Virgin Trains East Coast Hi Bryan,
Due to the nature of our industry plans can change at short notice, and it may not be possible to operate the train previously scheduled for a certain journey. As before, we're working towards providing better facilities for all with the new trains we're bringing into service.
^JW

2017-03-13 18:17:43 +0000

Bryan Bryan I am not looking for an explanation I am looking for an end to discrimination. I want a first class ticket for my journey on 29/05/2017 from Paddock Wood to Berwick upon Tweed on an electric train with an accessible toilet in first class accommodation for the same low price that other non disabled passengers were able to obtain online they could choose their train online because they didn't have to see if the train was diesel or electric ie whether there would be a toilet they could use. Why does the timetable not show the essential information as to whether the train is diesel or electric and therefore have an accessible toilet in first class.

2017-03-13 18:17:06 +0000

Virgin Trains East Coast Hi Bryan,
For a complete response to your query it would be best to address this to Customer Relations directly ([email protected]) who I'm sure can explain the issue further.
^JW

2017-03-13 15:37:25 +0000

Bryan Bryan Firstly this is not about how I feel it is about Virgin Trains East Coast failing to address the issue of discriminating against me and all other wheelchair bound rail travellers. What you say about the first class toilets being retrofitted to suit my needs is untrue! The first class carriages are of the same dimensions as the standard class carriages standard class have an accessible toilet why not first class? I am aware that you are just muddling through until 2018 when the new trains come online. The fact is you are breaking the law NOW!

2017-03-13 15:37:07 +0000

Virgin Trains East Coast Hi Bryan,
Sorry to hear you feel this way.
The current trains we use on the service have been retrofitted with the best facilities possible for your needs, however due to some design restrictions in their original specification it's not possible to change some things about them.
Please rest assured that we are aware of this and in an effort to always keep improving, our new trains (due to begin service next year) will have a vastly different setup and interior.
Hope this helps explain.
^JW
Like · Reply · 27 minutes ago
Bryan Bryan

2017-03-13 14:51:14 +0000

Posted on Virgin Trains East Coast Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/virgintrainseastcoast/

2017-03-12 22:18:53 +0000

25 signatures reached