A friend who uses a wheelchair recently bought a return trip from Paris to London with Eurostar and booked assistance at both ends of his journey. At the Gare du Nord in Paris, he was duly wheeled to the train, but on his arrival in London he was told that Eurostar staff were no longer allowed to push a wheelchair. Passengers must either propel their own chair, or be accompanied by a companion. Eventually, a member of staff asked if they could take his photograph to show their boss in case of any later difficulties, then wheeled him and his bag to the taxi rank. On his return journey, he was again informed that staff could not push his wheelchair. He was told that in Paris, Eurostar employs an agency to provide the service, but in London it now relies on its own employees. Eventually, he was told he could be wheeled on to an earlier service. It was stressful to discover that he could, in principle, be left stranded, and humiliating that, on both occasions, the problem was resolved only by negotiation.
IJ, Ascot
I am enraged by this story. Your friend is a young student who had travelled to London to see a play performed by actors with disabilities. You told me how excited he was to venture on his first solo trip abroad, and how the play had shown him that his disability need not be an obstacle to a successful career – only to be told by Eurostar that he should have brought a carer.
