A distressing incident unfolded at Dalston Junction station in northeast London as a disabled woman, Jennie Berry, 29, was left with no choice but to crawl up a flight of stairs due to a broken lift.
Ms Berry, a wheelchair user, filmed herself shuffling up the steps on her bottom after finding no assistance available upon her arrival at the station late on Thursday night. To compound her ordeal, station staff were heard giggling as she completed her arduous climb.
The frustrating situation unfolded when Ms Berry, trying to reach her hotel located just outside the station, found no help available upon her arrival. With the lift out of order for a month and no signage indicating the same, she was left to navigate the stairs alone.
According to Ms. Berry, assistance only arrived when she was mere steps away from the top, where a staff member informed her of the elevator’s supposed repair. However, his jesting remark about her reaction drew further ire from the already distressed passenger.
Reflecting on her experience, Ms Berry expressed her disappointment with Transport for London (TfL) for their handling of the situation and emphasized the need for swift changes to improve accessibility for disabled travellers.
Mark Evers, Chief Customer Officer at TfL, issued an apology on behalf of the organization, acknowledging Ms Berry’s distressing experience and promising a thorough investigation into the incident to prevent its recurrence. He also affirmed TfL’s commitment to improving accessibility and ensuring prompt repairs of out-of-service lifts.
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