Advice for disabled traveller

[jeanijay]

Not sure which heading this comes under,but my daughter wants to take me into London from Hertfordshire to visit an art gallerie, I need to use a wheel chair so as much as I would love to go the practicalities seem to be formidable. I know that if going by car we will be facing parking problems, my husband and I tried this four years ago,we ended up on the underground and almost brought the network to a stand still. The old green line service would have been perfect but it no longer exists,stairs will be a problem and the under ground does not have lifts for passengers.
My daughter, a long term army lady regards the logistics with confidence she transported vehicles on sixteen wheelers in Iraq, I am not sure it will be so easy with me. Has any one here tried this and can advise how tackle it

[mccfluff]

do you have the address of the gallery as that would help in working out what routes would be possible/easiest

[VHG]

There is an "assisted travel" section on the Transport for London web site that may help

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/transportaccessibility/2669.aspx

[237SJ]

Quite a few underground stations have disabled access and some (Covent Garden for example) have lifts. London buses have disabled access too - they lower their level to the kerb for wheelchair access. It might be worth checking out how far you can go by bus so that you can avoid the underground.

[shoota]

http://www.the-london-taxi.com/london_taxi_accessibility

[jno]

the tube map

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.pdf

shows stations with step free access from street to platform, and from street to train, if that helps. (The difference is that for the Olympics many raised sections of the platforms to the level of the train floor; with others you may still need a handgetting up the stop into the train.)

It'll depend what gallery you want to go to.

[jno]

doh... getting up the STEP into the train

[mxyzptlk]

Parking in London is easier now since the congestion charge was introduced, obviously depends on where you would want to park. Also, I believe, Blue badge holders can register for congestion charge exemption.

[mxyzptlk]

Further to this most black cabs are disabled friendly and have ramps fitted for wheelchair passengers

[jeanijay]

Thanks all for you're suggestions, am going through them now. There seems to be a bit more info from TFL then there used to be and I have found thatOakwood Station has lifts, so far so good and getting on the train is ok all I want now is a station close to Trafalger Square with out steps involved. As an ex urban cab driver I dont think I will be welcome by a taxi when I only want such a short distance

[jeanijay]

Green Park St has lifts and escalators, from there a bus to Haymarket could do it although it said the same about Covent Garden,I know that was wrong, there I was faced with a flight of stairs on leaving a lift, I found it very humiliating over the chaos I caused and swore I would never go to London again.
If I get back in one piece next Monday I'll tell you how it worked out, at least it looks as if I will get there

[emmie]

do not get the bus, they do have spaces for disabled passengers but i have seen wheelchair users left at the bus stops for an age because the spaces have been taken by buggies. Better off with checking which underground stations have lifts.

[emmie]

Green Park to Haymarket isn't that far, if it's not pouring with rain suggest a stroll, push down the road. Buses have become a nightmare for disabled passengers, you would think things have changed since the Paralympics, but not so. And having some difficulty myself in that department can testify that buses are not wheelchair user friendly. There is a space for one on most of the bus routes, but time and again it's taken by prams, and luggage... don't expect bus drivers to be helpful either,

[Canary42]

I can confirm that Blue Badge holders are exempt from Congestion Charge but you have to register with them which will inevitably take some time (you are allowed up to two car registrations I believe).