Journey Planning
Who dares prepares
You can’t predict what will or won’t happen on public transport. And let’s face it: things don’t always go according to plan. However, to give yourself a better chance of a safe and enjoyable public transport experience, you need to think ahead.
In this section we outline some key travel information resources, and give hints, tips and advice on how best to plan your public transport journey. Use the links below to click through to the relevant pages:
Route Planner: accessible, interactive maps and journey planning tools of key attractions and locations in five UK cities
Help with Planning: essential resources to help you plan your journey
Hints and Tips: suggestions on how to make your public transport journeys easier
12 comments on “Journey Planning”
Dawn Says:
I live in Somerset and I will not use the so called ‘accessible’ buses due to an incident that happened when I was out with my husband.
We caught an accessible bus on our journey out, but when returned on the last bus, it was a standard bus with no wheelchair access.
Fortunatly I was able, with assistance to get onto the bus, and my chair was folded up and placed on the bus, otherwise we would have been stranded overnight.
I now use a powered chair and this would no longer be an option, so I will not use the buses until all of them have been replaced with wheelchair accessible buses.
June 28th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Matt Says:
I used to work on a Travel information line aswell as auidting busses and trams and trains. I can see where there are snags in the system and think there should be more money put into the system to make it easier to use with better information to service users.
June 23rd, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Natalie from the Disability Rights Commission Says:
Natalie here from the DRC responding to Gwyneth’s post. There are two websites which may be able to help you find out about accessibility of tube and railway stations. The first is on the direct enquiries website http://www.directenquiries.com/londonunderground.aspx?tab=Underground%20Stations&level=1
Direct Enquiries did a thorough audit of all the London Underground Stations back in the spring, you can select the type of access requirement you have and the most suitable route around the station is selected for you. There is also advice on how to get to some of London’s top tourist attractions from the nearest underground stations including videos of the routes so there is no chance of getting lost!
The national rail website also offers some information on access at stations across Britain. The link is http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/
Just type in the name of the station you want to travel to or from.
I hope that helps!
June 12th, 2007 at 11:50 am
Gwynneth Pedler Says:
On reading through the comments I fully agree about public transport accessibility for the disabled particularly on trains . If you plan a journey well in advance using your local train station you are able to find out all the snags but there is no way of finding out which stations are fully accessible . I can quote an instance of a journey from Oxford to Camberley where I needed to change trains at both Reading and Ascot . No problem at Reading where there were plenty of staff and also a lift . However at Ascot I had to negotiate a large number of steep steps down then along a tunnel and up the same number of steep steps to access the platform that my next train went from .There were no staff to help and as far as I could see no way of getting from one platform to the other without the method I took . It spoiled the whole weekend as I worried about whether I would fall on the steps .Gojo , in my opinion needs to make a much more detailed description for the disabled . For example which London Underground stations [if any] can be accessed with a wheelchair .
June 12th, 2007 at 9:35 am
Jessica Says:
GOJO can really help kids like myself who may not be able to do what other kids can do when they are old enough such as drive. I have epilepsy and unless my consultant gives me the all clear and I am fit free for a year the DVLA won’t let me drive. GOJO gives me that little bit of extra faith in public transport. Thank you.
June 2nd, 2007 at 11:44 pm
Tammy Says:
I am a tutor who supports adults with disabilities. When we need to the students and I use public transport. I have found that when using the local buses, the bus drivers offer no support with someone who uses a wheelchair, nor do they let me know that there is a another wheelchair ramp which can be pulled out so I don’t have to tip the person using the wheelchair to get on the bus. Is it the driver or bus company responsility to pull out the extra ramp?
May 23rd, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Sheila Says:
My son is disabled with epilepsy and has just received a concessionary pass. However this doesn’t come into effect until 9.30 a.m. so it is a bit of a waste of time when he starts college at 9.00 and needs to leave the house at 7.00 a.m. in order to get there due to congestion in our area. Unfortunately he couldn’t drive if he wanted to because of his epilepsy so has to use the buses (First) which have reduced services in our area recently, causing him to have to walk further to catch other buses, or alternatively cross the A580 to get to other buses, which isn’t an option for someone who is epileptic as there are no safe crossings at all and the speed limit is 60mph. First are not positive for anyone, let alone the disabled:(
May 23rd, 2007 at 9:50 am
Emma Gage Says:
I have find train is so expensive price travel to somewhere that makes me unhappy and annyoed, sad. I want find it out about cheap trip on the day make me feel happy and save up money in future tht why all uk deaf people not enough 4 job hearing got one
tht not fair 4 us! I use bus and train to college and town, travel see to my mate from old skool tht make me feel welcome to them
May 14th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
Holly Says:
Hi David, I’ve been on the tube with a friend who uses a wheelchair. Some stations are accessible, you can find out how accessible each tube station is on this website, so you can plan where you can get on and off the tube:
http://www.directenquiries.com/default.aspx?st=lug#searchArea
May 10th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
sophia Says:
i always use the first buses in leeds on my own since i was 14 , and just recently got my disabled buss pass because i have autism, now i sit at the front in the designated disabled area because i need to get off the bus quickly if it gets too crowded, there was a lady sat behind me and everytime someone came on who was less able than me she was kicking the back of my chair i looked round and then look foward as i did she gave me a really dirty look. she still carried on doing it for an hour on the bus. i think the goverment are not doing enough to raise awarness on mental disabilties and physical disabilities concerning the population of able bodied public.
May 10th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
David Lawrence Says:
I regularly used to use the London Underground, mainly for social reasons eg to go shopping.
It started to get awkward about 6 years ago when my co-ordination began to deteriorate and I eventually needed to walk with crutches. I carried on using the Tube though.
Now I use a wheelchair most of the time I have to use other forms of transport.
Going to London isn’t the same when you have to use a taxi.
I used to enjoy the Underground. Are any parts accessible to wheelchairs? I have seen lifts at a few stations. Does anyone have experiences of using a wheelchair on the London Undergound?
May 9th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Nadia Clarke Says:
I am 15yrs old and use an electric wheelchair. Why can’t I go with my friend who also uses an electric wheelchair from Halifax to leeds or Manchester on the train. We have to go seperately. Is this possibly a joke or is it discrimination?
Also I want to get a bus to school like everyone else does but at the moment I have to go on special transport. The school is up a big hill. Would my electric wheelchair be safe on a local bus that is accessible?
thanks. Nadia
May 8th, 2007 at 11:25 pm