Overview

I visited Edinburgh over Christmas. Only problem going was a brat traveling on the train from Sheffield to Edinburgh, whose parents, once the train became less busy, ignored the fact of a disabled person in the carriage and encouraged their child in getting increasingly hysterical. Does anybody know if something can be done about nuisance of the sort? There were no train staff around and no obvious means of communication. Major problems occurred when I tried to return to England. I had picked the Avanti West Coast route for a cheapest fare and reckon it would have been OK had there been no disruptions. I had booked for the 10.52 train to Crewe on 28th December, and was efficiently boarded by David, a member of the Accessibility staff, who provided a ramp and got me suitably seated. But due to an electrical fault the train didn't leave. After it was cancelled, passengers from the 10.52 were told to catch the 12.52 - on top of those who had already booked on the later service. I was boarded on the 12.52 and almost got off again when Derrick, the train manager, insisted he would have to fold my rollator despite my protests. Initially, I was offered a seat away from the toilet and I needed the rollator to get around. However, Louis (or Lewis), another helpful and caring Accessibility staff member, intervened and moved a load of luggage from the wheelchair space so that I could park my rollator. Even so, I was told to sit in a small, low fold down seat and I would have been in agony there. This despite me having pre-booked Priority seating - although Avanti trains don't look to have priority seats. Instead, they have what they call companion seats. A man was in the outside companion seat and a baby in the one beside him and they were not asked to move. Perhaps fortunately, in light of the absence of a suitable seat, that train was also cancelled, due to a blockage on the line south of Haymarket - and we were told to wait for the 16.52. I and around a half dozen other disabled or medically compromised passengers went back to the Accessibility waiting room and after a while we were told to go upstairs to the First Class lounge, where I received a very welcome cup of tea, a pack of shortbread, and had the chance to use an Accessible toilet. For obvious reasons, we were urged to try to find somewhere to stay if possible and one lady left to travel to Berwick on Tweed for the night! Another poor woman tried unsuccessfully to find a hotel in Edinburgh. She too had booked for the 10.52 train and was, by that point, visibly struggling due to long Covid. My concern was that I wouldn't make it home, and after several 'phone calls I managed to arrange to stay in Edinburgh for a further night. On the 29th, I arrived to find the 10.52 had been cancelled. I reported in at the Accessibility Waiting Room by 10.30 a.m. - and the receptionist wrote my details on a torn scrap of paper and dumped it among a pile of torn scraps of paper. I asked if I could go up to the First Class lounge to wait and got a rather unpleasant spiel along the lines of if it was up to him anybody could use it but the rules were the rules. I had already twice visited the main disabled toilet in the concourse, on the second occasion having a lengthy wait, but needed to go again by 12.30 and dare not leave, ending up having an accident. This was unnecessary when there is a disabled toilet a lift away. The receptionist organised help for others who were due to catch the same train but ignored me. Ultimately, an LNER worker told him off for this. Accessibility staff member Ayesha took me to the train, provided the ramp, and moved a couple from the companion seats. These proved too tight a fit due to the table and a notice said to ask staff to adjust it, so I asked Ayesha and she refused. Although she said she would let Crewe know to expect me she apparently didn't - delaying the train by at least five minutes while a ramp was found. (There was supposed to be a ramp on board but either there wasn't or it's location was unknown.)

Transport & Parking

I used local buses with stops on Princes Street. There are adequate lifts all the way up to Princes Street. It's an incredibly busy street a lot of the time.

Access

There is disabled access throughout, but Waverley is the second largest station in the UK and moving through the station can be a struggle especially when there are crowds. If you don't know where the Accessibility waiting room is, ask at the booking hall. There is seating next to this and in the Accessibility waiting room.

Toilets

There are accessible toilets down a passage past the booking hall. There is even a changing places loo - which is blocked off unless there is a member of staff on duty to permit access to disabled passengers. The disabled toilet itself is fine, except that I twice found people were in it for 10 minutes. There is a posh disabled toilet in the First Class lounge - but standard class passengers are not supposed to go there.

Staff

Variable, but not always helpful, especially in a crisis situation. The most helpful staff member was the woman attending to the changing places toilet (but only some of the time).

Anything else you wish to tell us?

None tat I noticed but I was preoccupied with other concerns.