BUGGY WONDERLAND
12 new vehicles to assist Euston rail users
IF YOU have taken the train to London in the past 20 years or so, you may well have made use of Euston Station’s trusty fleet of assistance buggies.
On average, 87,000 passengers who need help getting to and from their train rely on the vehicles at the West Coast main line’s southern terminus each year – that’s around 240 passengers every day.
It’s estimated the 10 vehicles have made 1,000,000 journeys between the main concourse and platforms.
And since the first four buggies were introduced in 2004 – a further six were added in 2010 – they have travelled further than to the moon!
Now, after 18 years of serious pulling power, Network Rail has retired the old vehicles for 12 new electric machines.
This £200,000 investment has not only boosted the fleet, but will also reduce maintenance costs and breakdowns.
Gareth Parry, Network Rail station manager at London Euston, said:
“These new vehicles will be much more reliable, have a longer battery life and can continue to serve passengers for many more years to come.”
Passenger Assist allows people to request an assistance booking in advance so that train company staff will be on hand to help with things like navigating a station, boarding a train, or arranging a ramp on and off a train.