Wheelchair users hit out at Irish Rail

TWO Northside wheelchair users are furious with Irish Rail after they were unable to provide ramps for them to board trains.

Tony Lawless and Brendan Crean, from Kilbarrack, have on at least six occasions been unable to travel by DART because there has been no rail staff available to lay down ramps for them to board the train.

As a result of their experience, both men have vowed never to attempt to travel by rail again.

Tony Lawless’s (70) most recent attempt to get a DART was on September 4 when he went to Kilbarrack DART Station with his wife and seven-year-old daughter.

The family had hoped to spend the day in the city centre to celebrate their daughter’s birthday.

However, they were left stranded on the platform as the station was unmanned and the ramps were locked away.

“The train driver was a gentleman who turned off the train and came to ask me if he could help,

? Mr Lawless told Northside People.

“There was no one working in the station at the time. The driver went to the other side of the tracks to see if he could get the ramps so that I could board the train, but they were locked up and he didn’t have the keys.

“There was nothing more we could do. It was an absolute disgrace, especially because I had tried to get the DART three other times over the previous three weeks but again there was no one to help me.

“Suffice to say we didn’t get into town that day as my wife and daughter insisted they wouldn’t go without me.

?

Mr Lawless, who had both legs amputated five years ago, contacted Irish Rail to complain. He was given a contact number to call in future if planning to take the train to ensure there is a member of staff available to assist him. However, he is unsatisfied with this arrangement.

“I’d have to give two hours’ notice which means that to make an appointment in the Mater at 9am I’d have to call the office at 6am before getting the 8am train,

? he explained.

“I doubt very much there will be someone there to take my call. Having to call Irish Rail two hours before I travel is just as inconvenient. I just won’t be getting the train again.

?

Brendan Crean (65), who has cerebral palsy, has also been unable to board the DART to the city centre from Kilbarrack.

“There wasn’t anyone to help me to board the train with the use of ramps so I was just left on the platform,

? he told Northside People.

“It’s disgraceful that disabled people should be treated like that.

“All the stations should be manned so that this should never be an issue.

“I have a free travel pass but yet I’m unable to use it for the train because I can’t even get on it.

?

Mr Crean added:

“It happened to me six months ago and I haven’t taken the DART since.

?

A spokesperson for Irish Rail apologised to the customers for their experiences.

“There are two staff members in Kilbarrack and it is ordinarily manned during opening hours, but due to annual leave or sickness on the occasion that he [Tony Lawless] travelled [September 4] the staff member had been redeployed to another station for that shift,

? she told Northside People.

“There is a phone number displayed at all stations.

“If a person with special needs is travelling and there is no staff member on duty, the customer calls this phone number 01-8286900 or 01-8286920 and a staff member will be sent to assist them.

?

The spokesperson advised disabled commuters to save the number on their phones.

“If they call before they intend to travel we will ensure that there is assistance there for them,

? she added.