Campaigners back call for Judicial Review

Transport for All, a charity that represents disabled and older travellers in London, has joined the attempt by the Brighton-based Association of British Commuters (ABC) to hold a Judicial Review into the Government’s handling of the Southern Railway dispute.

Transport for All wants to submit witness statements expressing failures to assist disabled people during Southern’s tenure. It argues that the Government should have done more to ease disruption.

ABC applied for the Review in January and is awaiting a decision from the Royal Court of Justice about whether it may proceed.

A spokesman said: “The Southern Railway crisis caused disruption and misery to disabled and older people, leaving many unable to travel to work and increasingly isolated. Yet throughout the strikes the DfT has remained silent.”

The Department for Transport said it could not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.

Christopher Stapleton, who commutes in his wheelchair from Balham to Victoria, told the BBC: “On roughly two-thirds of my journeys, when I arrive at Victoria there is no one there to assist me with a ramp, even though the staff at my home station have phoned ahead to let Southern staff at Victoria know. The effect of Southern’s unreliable assistance is that every train journey becomes horribly stressful.”

Southern responded that over 440,000 journeys were made using disability railcards last year, and only a “tiny fraction” resulted in a complaint that assistance was not provided.

ABC said it is the first time the Government’s obligations relating to the Equality Act and rail franchising will come in front of the court, meaning the case could set a precedent for rail transport.