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Phoebe Tesoriere, a 24-year-old wheelchair user, endured a distressing experience when she was forced to crawl on her hands and knees through a train after being denied the use of a ramp to disembark. The incident took place on a Great Western Railway (GWR) service traveling from London Paddington to Bath Spa, accompanied by her parents. Despite assurances that assistance and a ramp would be available upon arrival, Phoebe was directed to a carriage that stopped beyond the platform, making it impossible for her to exit the train safely.
Phoebe, who lives with hereditary spastic paraplegia—a condition that causes weakness and stiffness in her leg muscles—explained that her mother had explicitly asked whether a ramp and help would be ready at Bath Spa. They were repeatedly asked by staff on the train where she intended to get off, but were not informed that the train’s designated wheelchair area did not line up with the platform. When they arrived, staff advised her to remain on board and get off at the next station, Bristol Temple Meads, before purchasing a return ticket to Bath Spa. This suggestion was impractical for the family as Phoebe’s grandparents were waiting at Bath Spa to pick them up.
Unable to fit her wheelchair down the aisle as instructed, Phoebe was compelled to crawl through three carriages, an experience she described as humiliating and emotionally overwhelming. She recounted, “I was crying. People were staring. One passenger reached down to stroke my back and apologised to me, telling me what was happening wasn’t acceptable. She was trying to comfort me, but in that moment I felt like a dog.” Her mother, Kirstin Tesoriere, described watching the ordeal as traumatic and said the family has avoided using public transport since then due to the emotional impact.
After filing a formal complaint on the day of the incident, Phoebe waited nearly nine months for GWR’s investigation to conclude. The company admitted their failures at various stages of her journey, describing her experience as “extremely poor” and confirmed that compensation would be provided. However, despite submitting her bank details, Phoebe claims she has not yet received any payment and that the company has ignored her communications since June. GWR has apologized personally to Phoebe, acknowledged the errors made, and stated improvements have been implemented to prevent similar occurrences. A spokesperson said they are “doing everything we can to complete the final steps as quickly as possible.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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