Footage shows the moment a disabled man was allegedly left locked on a train at Leeds Railway Station.
Doug Paulley, a transport rights campaigner from Wetherby, got on a Northern Rail serviced to Leeds on Monday, May 15, during the early hours of the morning. But as he arrived in the station he claims "nobody came with a ramp" and he was "forgotten".
Sharing what happened on Twitter, Dough said: "@northernassist I got left on 1:30 terminating at Leeds just now. Guard locked the train and the night shift driver came to take the train to the depot, found me still on there in my wheelchair because nobody came with a ramp. Good job he spotted me. I have video of it."
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Doug said: "Thing is the driver had told me in advance that it would take him a minute or two to let everybody off then to come with the ramp. So I wasn't panicking. Then the new driver came and it became apparent the guard had locked the train and forgotten me.
"Think the woman opposite me will have heard the guard tell me that he would open the doors at the rear and then walk to the front to do the ramp, thus it would take a minute or two, so like me was unconcerned when she got off."
All the passengers had got off the train but Doug claims he was left "stuck". Video footage shows him sat on the train waiting for help. The doors shut before a Northern trainline worker saw him, and said: "You OK mate? You waiting for somebody to get you off?" "Yeah," Dough responded.
"Bloody hell, guard should have been doing this. Sorry. What's he doing? Right, I'll just be one second mate." "Alright," Doug replied.
The staff member left for a few minutes before returning, and said: "Sorry about that sir, I am just gonna go to this back door and open them up. I've just come on, I'm starting nights, so just got on now. So, sorry about that. I nearly took you to the depot then. Good job I came down."
The guard eventually came and Doug was able to get off the train and got home safely. Doug told Leeds Live he contacted them on May 15 and on May 19 and claims he had still not heard back.
However, a Northern Rail spokesperson said they have since contacted Dough and said: "At no point was the train locked and the conductor never left the train and the lights were still on."
Tony Baxter, regional director at Northern, said: "Our policy is to help those with accessible needs leave the train within five minutes of arriving at a terminating station, which was the case here. At the time of recording the conductor was at the rear of the train, undertaking duties there before making their way to Mr Paulley – and had also spoken to previously to let him know this was the case and there may be a small wait.
"At no point was the train locked and the conductor never left the train and the lights were still on. There is also an emergency call option if required. Mr Paulley was contacted both on social media shortly after he tweeted about his experience and the next morning by our customer experience team."
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