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DART accessibility; why can't we do better?
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30-01-2018 5:42pm#1
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In Berlin on both the S-Bahn and U-Bahn the train driver sees the wheelchair user as they wait at the front of the platform. There are metal fold out ramps at every station at both ends of the platform which the driver grabs, folds out and lays down.
https://youtu.be/olyphv8lEGY 0 -
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To me, it just seems like the matter is being made more complicated than it needs to be.
One big problem with accessibility, as I see it, is that the levels of the floors of the trains - in addition to varying wildly between train types - bear little relation to the height of the platform. The solution is simple - and it would guarantee wheelchair, pram accessibility to ALL platforms, system-wide that are not on a curve. Simply follow the model of many trains in the U.S where the floor of the train is level with the platform. I was in London last year and they've started doing this on the Tube - some platforms have "Level boarding areas" where there the platform is raised on an incline, so that you can roll on-and-off the trains. Though why they just have level boarding "areas" and not "platforms" like all of the high-platform stations and trains around for example New York City, I don't know. Even here the Luas gets it right. The platform matches the trams floor height and so there is no need for the driver to do any messing around with ramps.
The solution to allow wheelchair users to use any straight platform in Ireland - unaided - is simple. Irish Rail should do the following:- Do a full inventory of railhead to platform levels across all platforms in all stations in the State. Also do a full inventory of all train floor heights on all types of passenger rolling stock in the State. Consider the railhead to floor height of the 29000s. The 22000s. All of the DARTs. The Cork Dublin push-pull coaches. The DeDietrichs. Consider also the legacy rolling stock, such as the MK2s and Cravens operated by railway preservation societies, and the MK3s operated by the Belmont Grand Hibernian tour group.
- Note any problems with trains whereby the aforementioned height varies too much because of a bad suspension system or something.
- Also look at the situation (or, would that be, the sitcheeaation
) North of the border. Look at the floor heights of the C3K and C4K trains. The railhead-to-platform surface heights of platforms in all stations in Northern Ireland. - When all of the information has been collected and the requirements for a common railhead to floor heights are known, then decide on a common value to applied to all platforms and all carriages, whether MU or locomotive push-pulled rolling stock. We'll call this height "X millimetres from the surface to the railhead" or "X.Y Metres from the surface to the railhead".
- Begin enforcing this standardised height.
- Rebuild all station platforms nationwide so that the surface of the platform is precisely that measure from the top of the rail.
- Retrofit all passenger carriages so that the distance between the floor of the carriage and the railhead matches that of the platforms. If the carriage cannot be retrofitted to guarantee that level, scrap and replace it. No exceptions.
- Consider solutions for platforms that are on a curve, like the Suburban platforms at Connolly, Heuston Platform 10, Mullingar etc. Can the platform be straightened or moved? If not, what new systems should be added to trains to facilitate someone who needs to roll on/off a train where the floor and platform levels match but the curve means there's a big horizontal gap.
- Specify in all new contracts for new passenger cars that the floor height must be Xmm or X.Ym from the railhead. If it doesn't match, IE sends it back for repair or refund. No exceptions.
- Consider adding ramps at every station possible. A useful fallback option, ramps may be long and time consuming to traverse, but they are passive. that is, you don't need to turn on the ramp and make sure it's working, it just sits there until someone needs to use it.
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To me, it just seems like the matter is being made more complicated than it needs to be.
One big problem with accessibility, as I see it, is that the levels of the floors of the trains - in addition to varying wildly between train types - bear little relation to the height of the platform. The solution is simple - and it would guarantee wheelchair, pram accessibility to ALL platforms, system-wide that are not on a curve. Simply follow the model of many trains in the U.S where the floor of the train is level with the platform. I was in London last year and they've started doing this on the Tube - some platforms have "Level boarding areas" where there the platform is raised on an incline, so that you can roll on-and-off the trains. Though why they just have level boarding "areas" and not "platforms" like all of the high-platform stations and trains around for example New York City, I don't know. Even here the Luas gets it right. The platform matches the trams floor height and so there is no need for the driver to do any messing around with ramps.
The solution to allow wheelchair users to use any straight platform in Ireland - unaided - is simple. Irish Rail should do the following:- Do a full inventory of railhead to platform levels across all platforms in all stations in the State. Also do a full inventory of all train floor heights on all types of passenger rolling stock in the State. Consider the railhead to floor height of the 29000s. The 22000s. All of the DARTs. The Cork Dublin push-pull coaches. The DeDietrichs. Consider also the legacy rolling stock, such as the MK2s and Cravens operated by railway preservation societies, and the MK3s operated by the Belmont Grand Hibernian tour group.
- Note any problems with trains whereby the aforementioned height varies too much because of a bad suspension system or something.
- Also look at the situation (or, would that be, the sitcheeaation ) North of the border. Look at the floor heights of the C3K and C4K trains. The railhead-to-platform surface heights of platforms in all stations in Northern Ireland.
- When all of the information has been collected and the requirements for a common railhead to floor heights are known, then decide on a common value to applied to all platforms and all carriages, whether MU or locomotive push-pulled rolling stock. We'll call this height "X millimetres from the surface to the railhead" or "X.Y Metres from the surface to the railhead".
- Begin enforcing this standardised height.
- Rebuild all station platforms nationwide so that the surface of the platform is precisely that measure from the top of the rail.
- Retrofit all passenger carriages so that the distance between the floor of the carriage and the railhead matches that of the platforms. If the carriage cannot be retrofitted to guarantee that level, scrap and replace it. No exceptions.
- Consider solutions for platforms that are on a curve, like the Suburban platforms at Connolly, Heuston Platform 10, Mullingar etc. Can the platform be straightened or moved? If not, what new systems should be added to trains to facilitate someone who needs to roll on/off a train where the floor and platform levels match but the curve means there's a big horizontal gap.
- Specify in all new contracts for new passenger cars that the floor height must be Xmm or X.Ym from the railhead. If it doesn't match, IE sends it back for repair or refund. No exceptions.
- Consider adding ramps at every station possible. A useful fallback option, ramps may be long and time consuming to traverse, but they are passive. that is, you don't need to turn on the ramp and make sure it's working, it just sits there until someone needs to use it.
Most train stations were built back in the day and British rule.
No wheelchair back then or no plans to provide.
Now with the Luas it's a mid 00s design so you would hope they got it right.
You said it so many different levels at stations etc....
Very costly to sort.
Ramp at end of platform in designated area and signs and painted disabled sign on the ground so people know where to wait.
Drivers could well do this.0 -
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