Thanks, Bob.   There are lots of flows that go through those staircases or have to use the lifts if they can't ...

What about people who arrive at Swindon Station by bus / taxi / on a mobility chair and are headed for London?

 
That lift has been problematic for a few weeks but in recent days it seems to have suffered a  fault which needs a more permanent repair.

I am aware of one person who arrived at Swindon for a TransWilts service and needed the lift.  They were put on a train from platform 4 (which has both a lift and level access) to Chippenham where they could change onto the following TW train a few minutes later.   Not sure what would have happened if they had arrived closer to the TW departure time.

I understand the favoured option for people heading east is to stay on the train to Reading.   There is level access to platform 1 at Didcot Parkway but it involves going through the gateline and out into the car park to get there.   There is no lift for platform 1.   There is also a more frequent service from Reading back to Swindon - although of course don't catch one to Cheltenham Spa!

I have asked what the prognosis is for the lift at Swindon and am awaiting an answer.

 
Still 1 out of 10, GWR. No indication of how long it is likely to be, what the problem is and how long on the current knowledge it might take to resolve it (technical failure or closure on a long term basis), what is being done about it and what the other places you may have to travel to to get back to Platform 4 (and that you'll not be charged - assuming that's the case) - or even which trains call at which platforms and are therefore either affected by lack of step-free access or available for the suggestion to go to the next available station and return to platform 4 to get out of the station.

Worse still, the main GWR website (where I expect most non-regular passengers would check to see what disabled facilities are available still does not alert passengers, either in the "Travel Updates" on the landing page or on the information for Swindon in the "Stations" section.

Quite appositely, the video uploaded today by Jago Hazzard on You Tube (see - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLkxZRJHsQo) gives some examples of inadequate information on problems for passengers, one from GWR, but also an example of good practice from them by way of contrast.   

 

JourneyCheck has this as a station update:

So some text exists, but could do with copying to other places enquirers may land.

 

I would think so - and even Reading on a train non-stop Didcot!!

Might just be quicker via Chippenham & taxi though....

 
Trying to recall how much retail stuff there is on that island platform too, and whether there may be a second lift for... goods.

Mark

 

Indeed, and unconfirmed data suggests that "until further notice" may be for a significant period, with the lift "condemned" and needing to be replaced.

Knowing that some of our members are at the annual TransWilts meeting today - is / was anything said there about the loss of accessibly to the town for those who can't use stairs at the terminus at one end of the line? 

 
Lifts out at platforms 1,2, 3 at Swindon is a bit high impact on some of the travelling public...

Mark

 
I checked the main GWR website, assuming that there would be something there explaining what had happened and when they expected to rectify matters. Nothing about this I could find! On the Swindon station page, under "Step-free access" it assures passengers "Step Free Category A Station - This station has step free access to all platforms via subway and the lifts via the main entrance subway"

The only warning information is that the ticket office opening hours will be different between 26 July and 1 August.

What can you say?

 
From Journey Check


Does this mean that passengers for Swindon with mobility issues from the west may travel to Didcot and double back there at no extra charge?