Great Western Railway Limited's Accessible travel policy approval decision letter and documents at 4 Feb 2021

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Dear Matthew,

Approval of Great Western Railway’s (GWR) Accessible Travel Policy (Condition 5

of the Station Licence and GB Statement of National Regulatory Conditions:

Passenger)

Thank you for submitting GWR’s revised Accessible Travel Policy (ATP) for approval.

When I wrote to you on 9 March 2020 confirming approval of your interim ATP, I

highlighted a number of commitments that would need to be included in the revised ATP

by 20 April 2020, should GWR continue to operate services under a new contract beyond

the end of its previous franchise term on 31 March 2020.

Following the successful conclusion of discussions on a number of topics, including the

reduction in the notice period for booking assistance to 6 hours in April 2021 and 2 hours

in April 2020, and the technical requirements of the handover protocol to be used to

ensure alighting passengers are met by staff, we have now reviewed the ATP against the

September 2020 “Accessible Travel Policy Guidance for Train and Station Operators” (the

guidance). I can confirm that GWR’s ATP now meets the full range of requirements of

Condition 5 of its station licence and GB Statement of National Regulatory

Conditions: Passenger (SNRP).

Please provide a branded version of all ATP documents by 5 March 2021. A copy of the

approved ATP will then be published on our website along with a copy of this letter.

As you are aware, ATPs must be reviewed by operators on an annual basis. Please

submit an updated ATP for ORR review by 31 December 2021.

Yours sincerely,

Marcus Clements

Head of Consumer Policy

Rail Markets and Economics

Email:

04 February 2021

Matthew Golton

Managing Director

Great Western Railway

By Email

Accessible Travel Policy

February 2021

Contents

Commitments to providing assistance................................................. 1

Sunflower Lanyard and Help Card scheme........................................... 2

Booking and providing assistance ........................................................ 3

Station facilities and services................................................................ 7

Our Information screens and announcements..................................... 9

Passenger journey information............................................................. 12

Ticket offices, Information points, Help Points and our customer

service centre....................................................................................... 14

Accessible standards for our website................................................... 15

Ticketing and Fares............................................................................... 16

If you don’t have a Railcard................................................................... 18

Alternative Transport............................................................................. 20

Wheelchairs and Mobility Scooters...................................................... 22

Delays, Disruption to facilities and emergencies................................... 24

Station Facilities.................................................................................... 26

Station Entrances.................................................................................. 28

Redress and Compensation.................................................................. 29

Strategy and management................................................................... 30

Staff Training.......................................................................................... 36

Commitments to providing

assistance

Welcome to Great Western Railway (GWR). This policy document is designed to complement our

‘Making Rail Accessible: Helping Older and Disabled Passengers’ leaflet. A copy of this can be

found at all GWR staffed stations, as well as on our website at GWR.com/PassengerAssist.

We want everyone who travels with us to have a safe and enjoyable journey and this document

gives you everything you need to know about our Accessible Travel Policy for elderly and disabled

passengers. In this document you will find details of:

• our services and facilities

• how you can use our services and facilities

• what you can expect from us

• what happens if we can’t give you the services or facilities you require

GWR is committed to continuous improvement of services and facilities for disabled people. All

our trains have accessible facilities and many of our stations are fully accessible. At those stations

which are not yet fully accessible we will continue to work with the Department for Transport

(DfT) and Network Rail to ensure we provide this wherever possible.

Recent improvements have been to the step free walking route between platforms at Truro,

improvement of wayfinding on the Severn Beach line, improvements to the stairs at Bugle.

Sunflower Lanyard and

Help Card scheme

GWR participates in the Sunflower Lanyard and help card scheme. This is a project that is

designed to assist customers with non-visible or hidden disabilities.

Wearing the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard or showing people your sunflower help card

discreetly indicates to people around you including staff, colleagues and health professionals that

you may need additional support, help or a little more time.

Supporting the Sunflower scheme is our way of showing customers that we care about everyone

that uses our network and we want to make it as easy as possible for them to travel with us. The

lanyards and help cards are available free of charge from many station ticket offices or alternately

by contacting our Passenger Assist team on 0800 197 1329, email Passenger[email protected]

or by contacting GWR on social media.

Booking and providing

assistance

Passenger Assist is a national system used by all train operating companies, which allows us to

make the necessary arrangements for your journey. If you have a disability, non-visible disability

or are elderly you can pre-book assistance with just one call to our dedicated team. We can make

sure you get the help you need for your journey and will arrange everything, including changes

and connections that involve other train companies. You just need to let us know by 10pm on the

day before your trip and we will:

• Help you find your nearest station with the best facilities for you

• Help you plan the easiest route for your journey

• Make sure our staff know you’re coming and what support you need

• Give you all the help we can along the way – around the station and on the train

• Ensure your destination is aware that you are travelling so that they can meet you on arrival

We can also give you advice about the trains and stations you want to use, and how accessible

they are. If they’re not accessible for you, we’ll suggest some other options to make your trip

easier which might include getting you to or from a station that is more accessible, free of charge.

By April 2021 we will reduce this notice period to 6 hours and then to only 2 hours’ notice by

April 2022.

Our Passenger Assist team are available between 0600 and 2300 every day except Christmas

Day. They can also sell tickets and make seat reservations for your journey. To contact them:

• Call them free on 0800 197 1329

• Text relay on 18001 0800 197 1329

• Email Passenger[email protected]

• Book through GWR.com/PassengerAssist

Once they have arranged everything, they will send you an email confirmation of what has been

booked.

If you can’t give us 24 hours’ notice of your journey, please speak with a member of our station

or train staff when you arrive (or contact our Passenger Assist team) and we will do our best to

support you. However, we can’t guarantee we’ll be able to give you the same level of help, as our

staff may not be freely available when you need them and therefore assistance may take longer

to be provided. We will still do everything we can to assist you onto the train and call ahead to

your destination station with your assistance needs.

When you arrive at the station

It’s best to arrive at the station in plenty of time for your train so you can let our staff know if you

need any support. If you’re travelling from London Paddington, which is managed by Network

Rail, you need to go to the Customer Reception at the concourse end of Platform 1. The staff will

tell the station team you have arrived and call the station at your destination, so the team there

can meet you. When a train arrives at a GWR terminating station, we aim to meet you as soon

as practical and within five minutes of the train’s arrival time. This assistance may be provided by

GWR station colleagues, other train operating staff or from our onboard staff.

Where assistance is to be provided by our station-based staff, in order to ensure that you will be

met by a member of staff at your destination, we provide each station with a dedicated telephone

number and a member of staff who is responsible for receiving calls. In conjunction with all other

train operators we will be participating in the ORR handover protocol and we are working with the

Rail Delivery Group on new initiatives to ensure the reliability and robustness of our service for

assisted travel customers.

Meeting point

We have designated meeting points at all our staffed stations. These are for customers who have

booked assistance to know where to meet our staff and information on their location can be

found at GWR.com/stations and the national rail website.

We would advise that you turn up to the station 30 minutes before travel.

Ramps

We can help customers who use a wheelchair or mobility scooter on and off the train with a

portable ramp, specially designed and tested for the purpose. Most of our trains have ramps on

board and we also provide ramps on the platforms at the staffed stations they stop at.

Our station staff and train crew are trained to use the ramps safely and support you on and off

the train. If you need a ramp and have pre-booked assistance, our staff will be ready to help you

board. If you haven’t booked assistance, please let station staff know that you need a ramp as

soon as you arrive, and they will ensure you get on your train safely.

At some of our larger accessible staffed stations we can provide a wheelchair to help you as far

as the train. For safety reasons, they cannot lift anyone into or out of a wheelchair, up steps or

into a train seat.

Assistance at part-staffed and unstaffed stations

We’re happy to support you from any of our stations but some do not have staff available and

others are not accessible.

We recommend you call our Passenger Assist team before you travel. They will talk you through

your journey options and find out what support you need. They can also arrange for you to get to

and from a station that is inaccessible, at no extra cost.

When booking your assistance, our Passenger Assist team will discuss with you how we will

meet your needs. If our team believes there is any risk of you not being provided with sufficient

assistance at a particular station or stage of your journey, they will provide an alternative journey

plan, assistance or transport to get you to your destination.

If you need help when you get to an unstaffed station, you can either call our Passenger Assist

team, whose phone number is on the welcome board at the station or press the information

button on the platform Help Point and you’ll be able to speak to someone who can help

GWR has introducing dedicated mobile staff on our driver only routes in the Thames Valley. This is

to provide assistance to passengers where there is no second person on board the train. They will

be focused around our accessible stations on the route, that are otherwise unstaffed or staffed

only during busier times of day. We would recommend booking assistance in advance through our

Passenger Assist team who will be able to let you know what to expect.

Journeys with connections

If you need to change trains on your journey, we can help you at staffed stations. If there are no

staff at the station, you’ll need to book some support with our Passenger Assist team.

If your journey involves changes or connections with other operators’ services, our team will

provide a single point of contact for booking and arranging assistance. We aim to provide enough

time during your journey so that you can make your connections.

Sometimes the arrival or departure platform for a train can be changed at short notice. When this

happens, our staff will let you know and help you get to the new platform as quickly and safely as

possible. We will also update aural and visual information at our stations, as quickly as possible, to

help inform all passengers of any change.

If you continue your journey on other transport

We will provide assistance from when you arrive at the station to when you leave it. We can also

point you in the right direction for other accessible transport – like buses or taxis – to continue

your journey away from the station and make it as easy as we can for you. For example, we:

• Make sure the taxi rank and bus stops are clearly signposted around our stations

• Put up information about local taxis and buses – including accessible ones

• Have pick-up and drop-off points outside many stations (some with dropped kerbs) as near

to the entrances and exits as possible

• Work with bus companies and local authorities to make sure there’s step-free access

between buses and trains, wherever possible

• Work closely with local authorities and taxi associations to provide, where possible,

accessible taxis at ranks managed by GWR. Where accessible taxis are not locally available

from the taxi rank we would source a vehicle from further afield via our taxi management

supplier contract

• Where access by Private Hire Vehicles to stations is regulated under contract with GWR,

the terms of the contract will include, from the earliest opportunity, the requirement for the

taxi operator to provide wheelchair-accessible vehicles and a reasonable number of drivers

trained in disability awareness.

Station facilities and services

We work with other train companies to make sure the national database, which keeps information

about how accessible UK stations are, is correct. You can find the database at:

nationalrail.co.uk/stations

GWR have recently undertaken an audit of all stations to confirm and improve the information on

the National Rail database to ensure accurate and consistent wording with the following fields

populated for each of our stations;

• Step free access note

• Passenger Assist

• Staff help available

Our Mobility & Inclusion team will make sure the information about our stations is kept up to

date. One of the ways they do this is by contacting National Rail with the details of any short-term

or unplanned changes that could affect a customer’s journey. They update this information within

24 hours of being notified of any changes. Information they pass on includes details of:

• Significant, temporary work that will affect a station’s accessibility

• Any problems at stations that make them temporarily inaccessible – like lifts and toilets

being out of order.

Alterations to facilities

Should the facilities on which you rely for your journey become temporarily unavailable on a train

or at a station. We’ll make sure the information is on:

• GWR.com

• Customer Information Screens

• National Rail Enquiries website

If we have your contact details and you have booked assistance, we will endeavor to contact you

by telephone or email, this includes:

• Where a station has a physical constraint preventing use by some disabled people

• Where significant temporary works affects station accessibility

• Where changes to stations make them temporarily inaccessible (e.g. lifts or station toilets

out of order)

• Where changes to train facilities materially affect disabled passengers –– where reasonably

practicable to do so.

Assistance with luggage

If you’ve booked some support for your journey, we can help you around the station with any

luggage you have. However, we do not employ staff solely to carry customers’ luggage and if you

have not booked assistance, platform staff may have to attend to train safety before they can help

you. Please bear in mind the weight, size and quantity of luggage and do not exceed the limits in

the National Rail Conditions of Travel luggage policy.

Our staff must be able to lift the item(s) safely so please bring with you up to two large items (no

heavier than 23kg) and one small item.

Seats on trains

When you book with our Passenger Assist team, it’s a good idea to book seats or the wheelchair

space on the train at the same time. All of our trains have priority seats at the end of each coach,

they are near the doors and most can be booked in advance. Wheelchair spaces are available on

trains, and our on-board staff will assist in ensuring these dedicated spaces give wheelchair users

priority.

If you don’t book ahead, there are some non-reservable priority seats and wheelchair spaces you

can use. This is on a first come first served basis and our staff will do everything they can to make

sure you get a seat or a space for your wheelchair, whether you’ve booked or not.

If someone else is using the seat or space you booked, let our staff know. They’ll make sure you

get your seat, or a different one, so you can carry on your journey as planned.

We aim to ensure that disabled customers travelling in family groups or with companions, are

booked to sit close together, wherever practicable. On trains that are not reservable, staff on the

train or at the station will assist you in finding suitable seats.

Priority Seat Cards

There are clearly labelled priority seats on all our trains, usually near the doors.

We always ask our customers to give up priority seats for people who need them more but it’s

not always obvious why someone needs a seat.

If you’re disabled, pregnant, 65 or over, or travelling with a child under 3 and you need to sit down

when you travel, you are eligible for a Priority Seat Card. That way, when you ask someone for

their seat, you can show your card without having to explain anything.

To check if you can get a card, call our Passenger Assist team on 0800 197 1329 or go to

GWR.com

Assistance Dogs

We’re more than happy to welcome you, and your registered ADUK guide or assistance dog on

all our trains, including on our Night Riviera service where your dog can stay in the berth with you

for no extra cost. If you book assistance through our Passenger Assist team, they will reserve the

seat next to you in seated accommodation, wherever possible, to ensure adequate space for your

assistance dog to travel.

Our information screens and

announcements

We know how important it is for you to have plenty of information when you travel by train, both

before and during your journey. It is our aim to provide you with information that is accessible,

accurate, relevant, consistent, up-to-date and easy to understand.

Information about accessibility

You can get up-to-date details of all the accessibility services and facilities we offer:

• At GWR.com

• On the National Rail Enquiries’ journey planner, Stations Made Easy, at

Nationalrail.co.uk/stations

• By calling us on 03457 000 125*

• Or text relay on 18001 0800 197 1329

• At our booking offices

* Standard network charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher

Information about your journey

You can get the latest Information about train times, including delays and planned improvement

work:

• At GWR.com

• On our Facebook page, Facebook.com/GWRUK

• On our Twitter account, @GWRHelp

• By calling our Passenger Assist team on 0800 197 1329

• By calling National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50* or textphone 0345 60 50 600*

• By calling National Rail Enquiries’ Welsh language service on 0345 60 40 500*

• Or text relay on 18001 0800 197 1329

• Using the Train TrackerTM text service – text ‘dep’ then the station you need to 84950 to

get real-time information (texts cost 25p plus your normal network rate)

• By calling the Train TrackerTM speech recognition system on 03457 48 49 50*, which will

tell you the latest train times

*Standard network charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher.

Clear information

We know how important it is for our customers to have the information they need for their

journey and we can provide information in a variety of ways to suit the needs of all our customers,

including those with a disability.

Our booking offices and customer information points are the easiest places for customers with

a disability to get the information they need. Many of these are equipped with induction loops

and some booking offices have low-level counters. The staff here can give you details about

the facilities, services and level of accessibility at all railway stations in the UK and answer any

questions about your journey – including about train times and connections.

Accessible Travel Policy documentation including alternative formats

To accompany this Accessible Travel Policy, we have a shorter and more concise leaflet available,

which you might find helpful. The leaflet is called ‘Making Rail Accessible: Helping Older and

Disabled Passengers’. You can find the leaflets in our ticket offices and leaflet racks at GWR

staffed stations, and as a PDF on our website at GWR.com/PassengerAssist. Our website is

accessible using screen readers or other software with accessibility features.

Leaflets and other printed materials

We display our printed information clearly at our stations, and make sure the display is accessible

for people in a wheelchair. If you can’t find what you need, please let one of our team know and

they will do their best to provide what you need. If you need a copy, documents are available on

line at GWR.com, from all our staffed stations, or from our Passenger Assist team.

If you need them in a different format, please let us know. We have copies in a few different

formats, including audio, large print, Welsh & braille and can send them out to you within 7 days.

Here’s how to get in touch with our Passenger Assist team:

• Call them free on 0800 197 1329

• Dial text relay free on 18001 0800 197 1329

• Email Passenger[email protected] or

• Go to GWR.com

Our Mobility and Inclusion Manager represents us at the quarterly Rail Delivery Group Disability

Group meetings and is actively involved with many of the associated working groups.

They work with local charities and local access groups to ensure that disabled people are aware

of our Accessible Travel Policy and the service that is available to support customers wishing to

travel by rail.

They also meet with representatives of local authorities, and many other groups with links to

transport and disabilities.

Stations and rolling stock accessibility information

We ensure that accessibility information relating to our stations and trains is readily available to

you and kept up-to-date. In order to achieve this, we maintain information in an online format

which can be easily accessed via personal mobile devices, as well as in accessible formats. We

provide the same information to National Rail Enquiries for their website.

Stations

Information about the accessible services and facilities that are available at our stations can be found

on our website, at GWR.com/stations and on request. This will include details about; disabled

parking, staffing hours, accessible toilet provision and accessibility of the station and platforms.

Trains

You can find a brief description of what facilities our trains have, and the routes they generally

take, in our rolling stock information booklet that can be found on our website

GWR.com/PassengerAssist and on request. This includes our Night Riviera sleeper train,

which has an accessible sleeping berth.

Passenger journey information

(Online, at stations and

on trains)

We know that some passengers don’t travel frequently, and may not know where or how to

access important information, particularly during times of service disruption. This section explains

how we will communicate accurate, clear and consistent information, especially if you have a

hidden disability.

Train departures and arrivals information

We commit to providing you, wherever possible, with clear and consistent aural and visual

information: both at the platform and on the train.

Stations – aural and visual information

Many of our stations have a combination of customer information screens and automated public

announcements providing accurate, clear and consistent aural and visual information. We give

up-to-date information about trains, delays and other disruption on our information screens and

with announcements as often as we can. Should the facilities on which you rely for your journey

become temporarily unavailable on a train, for example the accessible toilet, we will make sure

the information is on our Customer Information Screens and that both station and on-board staff

are aware. Our staff will then be able to discuss with you and provide alternate travel options as

required.

If you have trouble reading our information screens or hearing our announcements, please let a

member of staff know. They can tell you if you need to be on a different platform and help you get

there safely if you need some support.

Trains – aural and visual information

We are committed to providing important aural and visual travel information in a variety of

means so that it can be accessed as easily as possible. Our on-board staff are trained to give

announcements and all of our trains provide automated information throughout the journey. If

your disability means that you are unable to hear the on-board announcements, please advise a

member of staff so that alternative arrangements can be made.

All our trains have a PA system for the train crew to give updates during the journey and all our

trains also have scrolling passenger information screens, as well as automated announcements

(except our Night Rivera sleeper service). You can find out more information about our trains in the

rolling stock information booklet found at GWR.com/PassengerAssist

During all the journeys on our trains, our announcements let customers know what the next

station is. We make these announcements in plenty of time for customers with a disability to get

ready to leave the train safely.

Our train crew, or the drivers on ‘driver only’ trains, give customers the latest information about

delays or other disruptions. The crew can help customers make other arrangements if they need

to and for ‘driver only’ trains, the staff at the station will help instead.

Our help points

We’ve fitted accessible help points on the platforms of all our stations. Each one gives the latest

information about train times and can be used for emergency calls or to get information about the

station or the train service.

All our help points feature audio frequency induction loops for our customers with hearing

difficulties and feature buttons of different sizes and colour’s for customers who are blind or

partially sighted.

Connections and wayfinding

Our staff will provide you with information on how to make connections with other modes of

transport both prior to your journey and when travelling on our trains and through our stations. We

also provide onward connection information and local maps on posters at many of our stations.

When planning our services, we consult with all local authorities that our services run to, through

or near. This is so we make sure the needs of local communities inform any decisions we make

concerning service provision.

Ticket offices, information

points, help points and our

customer service centre

You can obtain information about the services provided by GWR and all other train companies at

our ticket offices or clearly signed information points at some of our larger stations (usually open

at the same time as the ticket office). We will provide details of fares, timetables, connections and

confirmation of bookings made by Passenger Assist (including bookings by other train operators).

Information regarding other forms of transport from the station is available from our staff, or they

will be able to advise you where this information can be obtained. Further detail of the information

facilities available at our stations can be found on our website GWR.com/stations. We will ensure

that up-to-date information regarding the services we provide is available to other train companies

and station operators. This includes information regarding delays, diversions or other events that

may affect your journey. For up to date train running information on the day of travel please follow

us on Twitter @GWRHelp or visit our website: GWR.com

Leaflets regarding our services and those of other train operators who serve the station, are

also available and placed at varying heights to be accessible to you. We also provide information

on station posters which give you information about local services/transport available from that

station. You can also use the station Help Points to speak to an operator to gain information and

assistance from staff.

More information regarding all national train services is available by contacting National

Rail Enquiries. You can call them on 03457 48 49 50* and their website can be found here:

nationalrail.co.uk.

Alternatively, TextDirect: 0345 60 50 600*

* Standard network charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher

Accessibility standards for

our website

We are committed to working towards achieving the industry-recognised WCAG standards but

until we do we know that our website needs to be easy for everyone to use, including those

with a disability. We use the web content accessibility guidelines to help achieve that standard

wherever possible. Our website includes many features that help to make it accessible such as

colour considerations and easily resizable fonts. We meet the requirements of the Equality Act

2010 when it comes to providing services online. You can find out more about this at

Gov.uk/guidance/accessibility-requirements-for-public-sector-websites-and-apps

We’re always looking for ways to improve our website and we’ll continue to follow these

accessibility guidelines where possible, which includes the use of an independent site audit to

check compliance and highlight recommendations for improvement.

Accessibility features on our website

To improve navigation for text-only browsers, people who use screen readers and keyboard

navigation, we use:

• Style sheets

• Font sizes and colours

• Forms, tables and links

• Scripting and browsers

Questions or feedback about our website

We are always open to receiving feedback about our website, and any suggestions you have for

improvements when it comes to accessibility. If you’d like to give us feedback, or ask a question,

here’s how to get in touch with our Passenger Assist team:

• Call them free on 0800 197 1329

• Dial text relay free on 18001 0800 197 1329

• Email Passenger[email protected] or

• Go to GWR.com

Ticketing and fares

Booking your tickets with our Passenger Assist team

If you book some support with our Passenger Assist team, they can also book your tickets for

you. You will be able to collect your tickets from the station, or if you are planning your journey in

advance then we can send them to you in the post.

We are committed to selling tickets impartially and to providing accurate information and advice

about your journey and ticket options, irrespective of which train operating company provides

the service. Our ticket office staff and Passenger Assist team are familiar with the accessibility

of our various types of rolling stock, and they are trained to ensure that the tickets you purchase

will be appropriate for your journey. We are exploring options with the providers for our Ticket

Vending Machines to improve information and where this is not possible will be placing labels

on the machines to make customers aware of the need to ensure that tickets purchased will be

appropriate for a journey. Our web site provides similar information for ticket sales.

You’ll be able to pick your tickets up from a machine or a ticket office at the station two hours after

you book them. If you do, you’ll need the card you paid with and the booking reference.

Buying your own tickets

You can also buy your tickets from:

• our station ticket offices

• our self-service ticket machines

• GWR.com

• other train operators and their ticket offices

• on the GWR app

If due to your disability you cant buy a ticket before you board, you’ll be able to buy one (with any

discount you’re entitled to) on the train or at your destination, without penalty.

If you have a Disabled Persons Railcard

If you have a Disabled Persons Railcard, we’ll give you a discount when you buy your tickets online

or at the ticket machine. One adult accompanying you can also travel at the reduced fare. At the

ticket office, you just need to show your railcard when you buy them. You also need to carry your

railcard when you travel, so our ticket inspectors can make sure you have the right tickets.

Full details on how to get a railcard can be found on:

• Website: Disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk

• Email: Disability@raildeliverygroup.com

• Call: 0345 605 0525*

• Minicom/Textphone: 0345 601 0132* (for people with hearing impairments)

* Standard network charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher

For more details on the discount and how to get a railcard, go to Disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk

If you have a Senior Railcard

If you’re aged 60 or over, you can get a Senior Railcard. This gives you a third off standard and first-

class tickets across the UK. You can buy it online, on the phone or at any staffed station with your

passport or UK driving licence as proof of age. You can find out more:

• at your local ticket office

• from National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50*

• at Senior-railcard.co.uk

• Email: Railcardhelp@railcards-online.co.uk

* Standard network charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher

If you don’t have a Railcard

If you are visually-impaired

If you are a visually-impaired person travelling with a companion and you do not hold a railcard, the

following discounts on Anytime/Day tickets apply for both of you:

• First / Standard Anytime Single or Return – 34% off

• First / Standard Anytime Day Single – 34% off

• First / Standard Anytime Day Return – 50% off

No concession applies if you are travelling alone and you do not hold a railcard.

To obtain these discounts, a document confirming your disability, issued by a recognised

institution (for example, Social Services Department, Local Authority, Guide Dog Ownership

certificate, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) or Blind Veterans UK) is required.

Season tickets – you can be issued with one adult season ticket to cover two persons; the two

travelling for the price of one. A different companion may travel with you on different days.

If you remain in your wheelchair for a rail journey

If you remain in your wheelchair throughout the journey and you do not hold a railcard, you will be

given the following discounts on Anytime/Day tickets:

• First / Standard Anytime Single or Return – 34% off

• First / Standard Anytime Day Single – 34% off

• First / Standard Anytime Return – 50% off

The same discount will apply to one person travelling with you.

Ticket machines

We’ve fitted self service ticket machines at many of our stations over the last few years. All of

them are designed to comply with the Department for Transport’s ‘Accessible train station design

for disabled people: a code of practice’ and they all give a discount for people with the Disabled

Persons Railcard, and their companion.

Some stations also have ‘ticket collection only’ machines to allow tickets bought in advance online

or over the telephone to be easily collected.

Ticket gates

Some of our stations have automatic ticket gates. This means you need a valid ticket to get on

to the platforms. There’s always at least one wider, manual gate for people in a wheelchair and

people with reduced mobility. There will always be a member of staff to help you when the gate is

closed. Otherwise, the gate will be open so you can get through.

Purchase of advance tickets

Where advance tickets are available for purchase (via any of the available channels, including

online, at the ticket office or via telecommunications), you are advised to check that the required

facilities (for example; accessibility of the train type, availability of wheelchair space or First Class

accommodation) are available before purchasing tickets.

Booking assistance when purchasing tickets

When buying tickets through our Passenger Assist team with a Disabled Persons Railcard, our

staff are trained to ask you if you require assistance with any aspect of your journey. They will be

able to arrange assistance and tickets as part of the same transaction.

Alternative transport

Arranging replacement transport

Some of our stations may not be fully accessible to you, due to constraints of the location. We are

always happy to arrange other transport for you if you are unable to use the station to make the

journey you wish.

You can check the accessibility of your local station through GWR.com/stations

If your local station or the station you need to get to is not accessible you just need to let us

know by 10pm on the day before you travel. Our passenger assist team will talk you through your

journey options and find out what support you need. We aim to ensure that you are able to make

as much of your journey by rail as possible. However, for those parts of the journey where this is

not possible, we will arrange alternative transport that is accessible to you, to the nearest or most

convenient accessible station.

Sometimes, if the platform you need isn’t accessible, we may ask you to go to the next accessible

station, then come back to your destination station to a more accessible platform. We only do this

if there are frequent trains to your station, and we never charge you more.

If we run a replacement bus service

If a bus service is required to replace a particular train, GWR will provide accessible options

wherever possible, and only use vehicles that are a not fully accessible when all other options

have been exhausted.

Twelve weeks before major planned engineering works we take appropriate steps to assess the

requirement for accessible transport and alternative accessible vehicles for use as substitute

transport and where necessary, procure the use of such vehicles.

In the event that a customer’s accessibility requirements are not met by the provisioned rail

replacement service, GWR will arrange an accessible taxi for them instead.

Arranging a taxi

If you’ve booked with Passenger Assist, and your train or replacement bus is inaccessible to you,

we can organise an accessible taxi free of charge. We can book these from a range of firms and

we will make sure the staff at the station you’re going to know you’re coming in a taxi, so they are

expecting you when you arrive.

If you haven’t booked assistance in advance, let us know as soon as you arrive and our staff will

book one for you, but we can’t guarantee there will be one available right away.

Giving you the transport and information, you need

If we need to run replacement transport, we always work hard to give you clear information

through, information screens, signs and announcements. We also always make sure staff are

available to answer questions and help you on your journey.

We understand that a disruption to our services or facilities can have a big impact on customers

with a disability. If there are any problems, we do everything we can to keep the impact to a

minimum, and make sure you can get to where you need to be.

If you need information during your journey, our social media team can help. You can contact them

on twitter @GWRHelp or via WhatsApp on 07890 608043 between 0700 - 2300.

If trains are cancelled or delayed

In cases of delay, disruptions and emergencies, we will ensure that the rail replacement services

and taxis provided are accessible wherever possible.

Disability awareness for Alternative Transport Providers

Taxi Providers

All our contracted taxi drivers are given disability awareness training to ensure that they

understand the needs of disabled customers and how best they can provide assistance.

Bus/Coach Operators

From 1st April 2021, and where reasonably practicable, we will require all contracted accessible

bus and coach drivers to receive disability awareness training as part of the driver’s initial training

and/or ongoing within their Certificate of Professional Competence training cycle.

Wheelchairs and mobility

scooters

If you use a wheelchair or a mobility scooter, we’re happy for you to travel with it on our trains.

However, there are a few things you need to know.

Wheelchairs

All of our trains take manual or powered wheelchairs that:

• Are no more than 700mm wide

• Are no more than 1200mm long (including the footplate)

• Weigh 300kg or less (including the weight of the customer)

On the platform

When you’re using a wheelchair on the platform, please do not exceed speeds of 4mph. Also,

please stay behind the yellow line until it’s time to board and secure the wheelchair brake when

you don’t need to move.

On the train

Once you’re on board, you can use the wheelchair space. If you can, you can also sit in a seat on

the train so you can travel more safely and comfortably.

Mobility scooters

If you have a mobility scooter, we’re happy for you to bring it with you, as long as you have a

permit. We can take most scooters that:

• Are no more than 700mm wide

• Are no more than 1200mm long

• Weigh 300kg or less (including the weight of the customer)

• Have an anti-tip device

You can find out more and apply for a permit by calling our Passenger Assist team on

0800 197 1329 or go to GWR.com/PassengerAssist

No GWR trains can safely carry mobility scooters outside the limitations set out in this policy.

On the platform

When you’re using a scooter on the platform, please don’t go over 4mph. Also, please stay behind

the yellow line until it’s time to board.

Please take any luggage off your scooter before the train arrives, so it won’t affect the balance if

you use the ramp. Our staff can help you take the luggage on to the train.

On the train

Once you’ve got your scooter on board and safely stored, please sit in a seat on the train if you

can, so you can travel more safely. Please also follow any advice our staff give you to make your

journey safe and comfortable.

If you don’t have a permit

We can still take your mobility scooter if it can be folded down – to no bigger than an average

large suitcase – because it can go in the luggage rack. Please see luggage section for details of

size and weight limits. If you need to fold your scooter to get on the train, please fold it before the

train arrives so you’re ready to board.

If you need to fold your scooter and it would be easier for you to use a wheelchair to get on the

train, just let us know. Most of our accessible staffed stations have a wheelchair on the platform.

We can arrange for a member of staff to help you to the train if you need to use it.

Further points

Please also note that for safety reasons, members of GWR staff are unable to lift or physically

maneuver the scooter. It is your responsibility to ensure that you can control your scooter and

that you can board and alight the train safely. Although we can book assistance on other train

companies’ services, their scooter policies may differ, including the requirements for scooter

permits. We can advise you of these requirements or provide contact details for the relevant train

company to ensure your scooter is permitted. This should be done prior to making your journey, if

you intend to travel with another train operating company.

Delays, disruption to facilities

and emergencies

What we do when there’s disruption

We try to let our customers with a disability know in advance about anything that could affect

their journeys. Wherever possible, we share information with local groups and councils, as well as

customers with a Disabled Persons Railcard who have opted in for updates, in the areas where

travel will be affected.

If there’s an unexpected problem, we always try to let our customers know as soon as we can,

through:

• GWR.com

• Our customer information screens, help points and station announcements

• Our email, social media and text alerts

• On the national rail enquires site

Disruption

Disruption to facilities and services can have a significant impact on your level of confidence in

travelling on the railway. If you’ve booked some support through Passenger Assist, we’ll let you

know if anything is going to seriously affect your journey as soon as we can. If we have your

contact details, we’ll be in touch to make different arrangements if we need to.

Our staff are trained to anticipate your needs, especially if you have a non-visible disability. They

will communicate news of any service disruption and provision of alternative transport to you via

the Customer Information Systems or, where possible, in person. On train staff will continually

monitor the train they are working on and will help assist and advise passengers when disruption

does occur.

We have Help Points at all our unstaffed stations, which can connect you to someone who can

help provide journey information for you.

Sometimes a train’s departure platform must be changed, often at short notice. Such a change

will be shown on the customer information screens and will be announced aurally as soon as

possible. When a change occurs, our staff will provide assistance and information to help you

reach the revised departure platform, if accessible, as efficiently as possible.

When disruption causes the cancellation or alteration of train services, we will provide you with

accessible substitute transport. This will be done without additional charge. Our rail replacement

team has contractual arrangements with bus and taxi operators across the GWR network,

including securing, wherever possible, the provision of accessible vehicles. When train services

are replaced with buses, we will endeavor to secure accessible buses from local operators. When

this is not possible, we will book a taxi that is accessible to you. Our staff, supported by our rail

replacement team, have the authority to do all that is reasonably practicable to arrange suitable

substitute services for you in such circumstances.

If you require any support or information during disruption, we would advise speaking to staff.

However, if they are not available, you can get in contact with us through either:

• Using the Help Points at each station

• Twitter using @GWRHelp

• WhatsApp on 07890 608043

• Calling Passenger Assist team on 0800 197 1329

Disruption to our facilities

We work hard to make sure all of our accessible information equipment works properly. If there’s

ever a problem, we fix the fault as soon as we can. We make sure the information you need is

available from our staff, posters and the Passenger Assist team in the meantime.

If there’s an emergency

Keeping our customers safe is our priority. So, when it comes to handling an emergency, we do

everything we can to give customers the support they need.

We display safety information in all our trains about what to do in the rare event of an emergency.

Our evacuation guidelines are either in the areas by the doors, on the coach walls or alongside the

seats.

Supporting people with a disability in an evacuation

Our emergency plans for our stations and trains include information about how to support people

with a disability in an emergency. We train all our train crew on evacuation procedures and our

staff will supervise any action that needs to be taken in the event of an emergency, either at a

station or on a train.

If there’s an emergency, the safest option is nearly always for customers to stay on the train until

our staff have fully assessed the situation. If we need to evacuate the train, the safest place to do

it is at a station.

In order to minimise the risk of causing injury to you in an evacuation, we will only evacuate

wheelchair users during an emergency if the situation is life threatening. Based on the type of

incident and the risks involved, we will move you to a safer part of the train until arrangements can

be made to move the train to the nearest station. We will endeavour to make sure that you are

always accompanied. If it becomes necessary to evacuate a train between stations, we will work

closely with the emergency services to attend and provide assistance with the evacuation.

Providing guidelines in different formats

To make it easier for people with learning difficulties or disabilities, and for people who don’t

understand English, we use pictures to make our guidelines as clear as possible.

Our train crew can give out Braille versions of our safety leaflets to blind or partially sighted

customers. At the moment, we can’t provide Braille versions on our ‘driver only’ services. But you

can get a free copy from our Passenger Assist team on 0800 197 1329 before you travel.

Station facilities

Left luggage

We don’t have any facilities for storing luggage at any of our stations.

If you’re using London Paddington, which is managed by Network Rail, there’s a Left Luggage

Office on Platform 12 with step-free access. It’s run by the Excess Baggage Company and open

0700 to 2300, Monday to Sunday.

Blue Badge parking

We’ve set up a programme to make sure our station car parks have a suitable number of

designated parking bays for customers with a disability.

If a car park has fewer bays than the number specified in the Code of Practice, we report on the

average weekly usage of the bays in the car park and review this every six months.

Whenever we find there’s a significantly larger demand for more bays in a certain car park, we

add more, and we address any bays that currently don’t meet the dimensional guidelines for

wheelchair access, when renovating carparks.

We locate these spaces in the most suitable place to ensure you will have easy access to our

stations. Usually these spaces are located as close to the main station entrance as possible.

Spaces for Blue Badge holders are marked with the International Symbol for Access on the

ground.

Making sure the bays are used properly

If we find people without a current International Blue Badge using a designated bay, they will get a

Parking Charge Notice or, in exceptional cases, we will prosecute them under Railway Byelaw 14.

The Blue Badge scheme

Parking is free for all customers displaying a current International Blue Badge at a GWR managed

station. If there aren’t enough designated Blue Badge parking bays, customers with a disability

can park in a non-designated bay free of charge, as long as they display their current International

Blue Badge in their vehicle. At car parks that are monitored by Automatic Number Plate

Recognition (ANPR) there may be additional procedures required, so please see local signage.

Third party provided facilities

We’re always working hard to improve the accessibility of station facilities provided by a third

party. For example, we work closely with local authorities and taxi associations to provide, where

possible, accessible taxis at the ranks managed by GWR. We also encourage the owners of

shops or cafés at our stations to make them as accessible as possible. While it is recognised that

third-party service providers have their own responsibilities under the Equality Act, our sub-leases

with our tenants contain a standard clause that compels them to comply with all relevant statutes

to ensure that any services and facilities provided by others at our stations are as accessible as

possible.

Replacement facilities

We will provide, wherever possible, reasonable replacement facilities for you that are accessible

when the level of accessibility of facilities at a station is less than that normally provided (e.g.

toilets, shelters, as a result of the breakdown, alteration or removal of facilities).

Station entrances

Accessible entrances and exits

We work with Network Rail and the Department for Transport to provide step-free access to our

stations where we can.

If we’re considering closing an entrance to one of our stations, even temporarily because of

things like building work, we always consider the needs of disabled people and where necessary

would consult with Department for Transport, Transport Focus and local access groups first. We

will also comply with the agreed code of practice with regards to mandatory standards regarding

unobstructed progress during building works. If we do close an entrance, we make sure there’s

another clear way in and out of the station.

Redress and compensation:

Passenger Assist – what to do

if our assistance fails

All individual train operating companies have their own recompense policies, which can be found

within their own Accessible Travel Policies. If you travel with GWR and your booked assistance

fails, you will be compensated. If GWR fail to provide your booked assistance this will be 100%

of the cost of a single ticket, or 50% if a return ticket is held. If another train company was

responsible for the failure, you can contact them directly, or we can liaise with them on your

behalf and provide you with a full explanation in response, including why it happened and what

mitigating actions we intend to take as a result.

The compensation scheme set out above does not limit or exclude your other legal rights to

compensation under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, or Equalities Act 2010. If you believe this

applies to your journey, please contact our Customer Support team who will take each case on its

merits and respond appropriately.

You can contact our customer support team through either:

• GWR.com and filling in our online form

• Calling 03457 000 125*

• Emailing GWR.Feedbac[email protected]

• Write to us at Freepost GWR CUSTOMER SUPPORT

* Standard network charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher

Where assistance has not been provided due to a delay, and both Delay Repay and Assisted Travel

redress could apply, you will be entitled to whichever value is the highest but will not be able to

claim both.

For information regarding your rights when you are travelling as a consumer, including under the

Consumer Rights Act 2015, see Gov.uk/consumer-protection-rights

Strategy and management

Strategy

We know some of our older customers and customers with disabilities need support when they

travel. We want to treat them fairly, and make sure all our trains and stations are as accessible as

they can be.

We have made a commitment to an ongoing programme of improvement to accessibility for as

long as we have the franchise.

Whatever work we do, we do it with the Equality Act in mind and ensure it’s in line with the

standards set out by the Department for Transport in ‘Design Standard for Accessible Railway

Stations’ (Code of Practice). We also work with the standards from the European ‘Technical

Specification of Interoperability for Persons of Reduced Mobility’ (PRM TSI). Whilst we will

exhaust every possible avenue, should we not be able to meet these standards on stations, we

will consult with the DfT at the earliest stage in the design process so that suitable alternatives

can be considered, and dispensation sought from the Code of Practice.

When the COVID-19 position allows, GWR will continue to invest in improvement schemes during

the current franchise to improve the facilities for disabled customers.

GWR is committed to the continuous improvement of services and facilities for disabled people.

We believe that when you travel with us you should expect high standards of service on your

journey. We work alongside our industry colleagues ORR, Network Rail, local authorities, DfT,

Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), Transport Focus, Community Rail

Partnerships, Rail Ombudsman and other stakeholder organisations, especially those representing

all customers, to further improve the services, products, facilities and information we provide. We

believe that you have the right to safe, comfortable, punctual and seamless journeys, and we will

work to broaden accessibility and equality on GWR throughout the franchise.

Improving access and services on GWR

We will be improving access and services as follows:

• New Passenger Assist app: We will support the Rail Delivery Group roll-out the national

Passenger Assist app, which will enable you to book Passenger Assist journeys, letting our

staff know you are coming.

• Passenger Assist Survey: we will continue to conduct a monthly survey of our Passenger

Assist service, to complement the ORR’s national survey of Passenger Assist users, to

help us better understand your needs, and make improvements to our customers’ journeys.

• Closer professional collaboration: GWR will work closely with our customers and

stakeholders across the network to help improve the service further.

• Greater station investment: we will continue to invest in accessibility features for our

stations, until the end of our current franchise.

Management arrangements

Executive responsibility

We think about accessibility in everything we do. We make it part of our business planning, and

keep track of our progress by measuring, reporting and adjusting to make sure we’re meeting our

accessibility goals. Here’s how we do it.

Our Business Assurance Director is responsible for our Accessible Travel Policy, and makes sure:

• We review it every year

• We include it in our business plans and at the planning stages of all our major projects

• We consider what people with a disability need at every stage of our work

• People with a disability are represented at board level and communications from the board

can be cascaded, with the rest of the organisation, through the Managing Directors

Monthly telephone conference calls and internal publications.

Our Engineering Director is responsible for making sure that whenever we refurbish our trains,

we do it in line with:

• Our Accessible Travel Policy

• The standards set out in the Code of Practice

• The Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations

• The PRM TSI.

Giving our staff everything they need

We make sure all our managers and staff know their responsibilities to our vulnerable customers,

which includes customers with a disability, with training programmes, online learning modules,

internal publications, online information and briefings.

We will provide regular briefings that are given to frontline managers and safety critical

employees. All employees receive updates on the company’s policies and procedures relating to

disabled customers, diversity and inclusion, through their regular briefing sessions.

All staff receive disability awareness training. Additionally, we train all staff who work directly with

customers to give them the skills and knowledge they need so they know exactly what to do

when it comes to meeting the needs of our customers.

Protecting and improving your access to rail services is an integral part of our business strategy

and is supported by the GWR Board of Directors. Accountability for owning and developing our

Accessible Travel Policy rests with our Business Assurance Director. Acting as a sponsor, this role

will liaise with relevant managers throughout GWR, to ensure compliance with the Accessible

Travel Policy.

The Mobility and Inclusion Manager, working closely with local managers, is responsible for the

day-to-day implementation and compliance with our Accessible Travel Policy. This will largely be

achieved through communication with the relevant managers and their teams, alongside customer

satisfaction surveys, post travel research and periodic reports.

Monitoring and evaluation

To make sure that the provision of services to customers with disabilities is not overlooked and to

monitor and evaluate our commitment within the Accessible Travel Policy, our Passenger Assist

Survey will complement the ORR’s national survey of Passenger Assist users and help us better

understand customer needs.

Our key performance indicators are:

• Total number of customers who have booked assistance;

• Total number of customers who have booked assistance and were satisfied/dissatisfied;

• Total number of complaints we received about issues relating to disabled travel;

• Total number of complaints received as a percentage of the booked journeys; and

• Total number of employees who have received disability awareness training

The progress the company makes on current issues related to disabled travel will be discussed in

a report to the Board of Directors. The Customer Service Centre team will review and investigate

any complaints or feedback from our disabled customers and provide a detailed response. This will

ensure that any failures in our commitments are identified and resolved as quickly as possible.

We will review this policy and report to the ORR with details of the achievements of objectives,

new initiatives to improve our service to disabled customers and any difficulties we have

encountered with the implementation of this policy.

Access improvements

We are committed to complying with PRM-TSI (Persons with reduced mobility technical

specification for interoperability) and the Code of Practice when installing or refurbishing trains

and facilities at stations. We also commit to applying for derogations against the PRM-TSI and/or

dispensations against the Code of Practice when necessary, after every effort has been made to

comply with the relevant requirements.

Trains

All our services are provided by trains that are accessible and compliant with accessibility

requirements.

Stations

Access varies across all the stations we operate. In accordance with the DfT’s Access for All

programme and in partnership with the DfT, Network Rail, local authorities and businesses we

will work to secure funding for and develop an ongoing strategy to improve the accessibility of

our network in accordance with the standards required by the Code of Practice. Details of the

accessibility at each individual station can be found at GWR.com/stations and

Nationalrail.co.uk/stations

We’ve been doing a lot of work to ensure our stations are accessible and plan to carry on making

changes for as long as we have the franchise. We are working with the Department for Transport

and Network Rail to add platform lifts and ramps wherever we can. We also work with local

authorities to find other ways to improve our stations, so we can make travelling by train more

accessible. Our aim is to improve accessibility at all our stations and we will do so as funding is

made available. Some of the stations outstanding, require substantial civil engineering work.

Recent improvements have been implemented at the following stations in the last 12 months:

• Improvement of wayfinding on the Severn Beach line.

• Improvements to stairs at Bugle.

• Improvements to step free walking route between platforms at Truro

Working with disabled passengers, local communities

and local authorities

We work with a variety of groups and committees to make travelling with us, and on public

transport generally, better for older people and people with a disability.

Consulting on issues that affect people with a disability

We consult with the Department for Transport, Transport Focus, London TravelWatch, TravelWatch

South West and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee. We also use mystery

shoppers with disabilities who feed back to us on all aspects of our services.

We also work with:

• Members of Parliament

• Members of the Senedd and Welsh Government

• Local government members and officers at Unitary, County, District and Parish level

• Local Enterprise Partnerships

• Chambers of Commerce

• Community Rail Partnerships and Rail User Groups

• Station adoption groups

• Passenger watchdogs

• Charity and Community groups

• Customers through our Advisory Board and Meet the Manager events.

Our Customer Panels

We usually hold customer panels across our network with an aim to visit each of the regions

we operate within – the East, London, Central, the West and South Wales at least once a year.

We try and hold them in a central location and away from the station. The meetings provide

an opportunity for those who use our services to tell us what they think and for us to share

information about current issues and what is happening across the network.

Due to the pandemic we have not been able to hold these meetings and are instead sending

regular email updates to our customer panel members and making plans to move the meetings to

an online platform. As soon as it is safe to do so we expect to resume our physical meeting plans

subject to any Emergency Measures Agreement approvals that might be in place at the time.

Our customer panel is open to all customers. You don’t need to be part of any particular group - it

is individual experiences of GWR we want to hear about.

GWR hold a regular Accessibility Panel, comprising of disabled passengers and users of

Passenger Assist, with whom we can consult on accessibility issues, such as options for access

improvements, raising awareness of assisted travel and developing new initiatives. Customers

that would like to be involved in this should e-mail [email protected] or speak

with the Passenger Assist team on 0800 197 1329.

Our Advisory Board and other stakeholders

In preparing our accessibility and inclusion proposals for GWR and the development of our

accessibility policies, we consulted with a cross-section of disability stakeholders. Alongside this,

key organisations that represent the interests of customers with disabilities – including ORR,

DPTAC, DfT and Transport Focus. We arrange meetings with other stakeholder groups as often as

we need to.

We customarily hold two conferences a year, an annual Stakeholder Conference and an annual

Community Rail Conference, along with an annual networking event for members of Local

Enterprise Partnerships. We have not been able to hold a Community Rail Conference this year

due to the pandemic, but we are making plans for a virtual stakeholder conference and for digital

workshops and seminars to discuss forward plans. As soon as it is safe to do so we expect to

resume our physical meeting plans subject to any Emergency Measures Agreement approvals

that might be in place at the time.

What we discuss at the meetings varies – and sometimes the groups will set their own agenda

for what they want to talk about. These meetings are a great way for us to find out what people

think of our services.

We will actively promote the availability of Passenger Assist, meeting local disability groups and

making promotional material such as the Assisted Travel leaflet “Helping make rail accessible for

elderly and disabled available to stakeholders highlighting and promoting the service available to

them.

Having access to the expertise of our customers and stakeholders, as well as the feedback they

give us, is really important. It helps us develop our services, look at ways to improve the things

our customers are concerned about, and give all our customers the best possible experience.

Staff training

At GWR, we provide our staff with the tools and information to do their job. One important aspect

of this, is providing an extensive disability awareness training course. This course covers various

areas of disability, as well as:

1. Understanding disabled people and their everyday challenges: challenging misconceptions

and understanding barriers to access and inclusion.

2. Equality Legislation: exploring and understanding the Equality Act 2010.

3. Defining Disability: an introduction to the various definitions of disability and the appropriate

terminology.

4. Recognising passengers who need assistance: exploring physical and non-physical

impairments to enable staff to assess individual needs and provide appropriate assistance.

5. Railway Regulatory Framework: understanding regulations and policies that are relevant

within the railway industry

6. Passenger Assist: how it works for disabled passengers and the staff’s role in delivering the

service

7. Communication: finding a way to communicate with disabled people with patience, respect

and dignity.

8. Accessibility in stations: the identification of accessible features at the stations where staff

work as well as at the key destination stations on the network

9. Providing safe assistance: duties and process to ensure that both staff and passengers

remain safe at all times.

This one-day bespoke training course is part of our corporate induction training for all front line

staff. We have also been re-training existing front-line staff, to ensure they have attended the most

relevant and up-to-date course we provide. This training course was delivered and designed with

the input and involvement of various disabled and elderly people, to ensure we provided a true

reflection of the needs of our customers.

Providing Government and Public Health England Guidance continues to allow, all new staff,

including senior and key managers, will as part of their induction, receive disability awareness

training in a predominantly classroom-based setting, that delivers the mandatory training

outcomes required by the ORR.

This training will be continually reviewed, and refresher training provided, currently every two

years.

Our employees also undertake disability training as part of any safety critical training, competency

management assessments and local safety briefings. We will ensure that staff receive the training

relevant to their roles with regards to:

• The use of equipment provided to assist people with disabilities, such as ramps,

wheelchairs and induction loops

• Communicating with people with different disabilities.

• Communicating clearly by phone with people who may have difficulty speaking, hearing or

understanding.

Our Passenger Assist team also receive specific briefings relating to their job role, such as; using

a text-phone and checking databases to ensure the best possible journey advice is given to

customers with disabilities.

Where reasonably practicable our agency staff, contact center staff and staff contracted on a

temporary basis, that interact directly with passengers, will receive a condensed version of the

disability awareness training that delivers the mandatory training outcomes required by the ORR.

At the time of submitting our Accessible Travel Policy for review we ensured that all statistics,

legislation and language used in our disability training course are up to date.

The training we provide will ensure all of our staff have the skills and knowledge to enable them to

best meet the needs of customers with a disability.

More information

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GWR.com/contact

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Making Rail

Accessible

Helping Older and

Disabled Passengers

February 2021

Introduction

Welcome to Great Western Railway. We

want everyone who travels with us to have

a safe and enjoyable journey and this leaflet

gives you a key overview of our Passenger

Assist service for elderly and disabled

passengers.

You’ll find details of:

• What assistance is available and how

to get it

• What to expect from us and our

commitment to you

• If things do not go as planned

• Where to get more information and how

to get in touch.

Contents

Introduction ............................................. 2

Assistance: What is available and how

to obtain it ............................................... 3

What to Expect: our commitment to

passengers at every stage of the journey 9

Common features found on our trains .... 21

Redress and Compensation .................... 26

Where to get more Information .............. 28

3 4

Assistance

What is available and

how to obtain it

Booking Assistance

Passenger Assist is a national system

used by all train operating companies,

which allows us to make the necessary

arrangements for your journey. If you have

a disability, non-visible disability or are

elderly you can pre-book assistance with

just one call to our dedicated team. We can

make sure you get all the help you need for

your journey and will arrange everything,

including changes and connections that

involve other train companies. You just need

to let us know by 10pm (2300) on the day

before your trip* and we will:

• help you find your nearest station with

the best facilities for you

• help you plan the easiest route for your

journey

• make sure our staff know you’re coming

and what support you need

• give you all the help we can along the

way – around the station and on the train.

* From 1 April 2021, you will just need to let

us know up to 6 hours before you travel.

We can also give you advice about the

trains and stations you want to use, and

how accessible they are. If they’re not

accessible for you, our Passenger Assist

team will talk you through your journey

options and find out what support you

need. We aim to ensure that you are able

to make as much of your journey by rail

as possible. However, for those parts of

the journey where this is not possible, we

will arrange alternative transport that is

accessible to you, to the nearest or most

convenient accessible station, free of

charge.

Our Passenger Assist team are available

between 0600 and 2300 every day except

Christmas Day. They can help plan your

journey, book your assistance, sell tickets

and make seat reservations for you. To

contact them:

• call them free on 0800 197 1329

• text relay on 18001 0800 197 1329

• email Assisted.travelt[email protected]

• book through

GWR.com/PassengerAssist

Once they’ve arranged everything, they’ll

send you confirmation of what has been

booked.

5 6

Assistance available

Passenger Assist offers a variety of help for

our disabled and elderly passengers. This

includes:

• Booking assistance for getting on and

off the train, as well as getting to and

from the platform. This includes help at

staffed stations connecting between

train services and from the platform to

the station entrance.

• When booking your assistance, if your

journey is to or from a station which

does not have staff there all the time

or has no staff, we will do our best to

ensure you have the help and assistance

you need. If our team believes there is

a reasonable risk of you not being

provided with sufficient assistance at

any stage of your journey, they will

provide an alternative journey plan,

assistance or alternative transport to get

you to your destination.

• Requesting a ramp to be provided for

getting on and off the train.

• Assistance around the station and to

the platform, including when connecting

between different train services.

• Requesting help with luggage. Please

bear in mind the weight, size and

quantity of luggage as our staff must be

able to lift the item(s) safely. You may

bring with you up to two large items

(no heavier than 23kg) and one small

item free of charge.

For Immediate Travel

You can turn up at any station that is

accessible to you and request assistance

onto a train from a member of staff. We

would recommend arriving 30 minutes

before your train is due to depart, to ensure

staff are able to provide the assistance

required. If a station is unstaffed and

you require assistance, please call our

Passenger Assist team, on 0800 197 1329,

or alternatively use the help point located

on the platform. We will provide the help

you need as quickly as possible.

The accessibility features and staffing

hours of all our stations are detailed on the

National Rail Enquiries website at

Nationalrail.co.uk or our own website

GWR.com/stations

During times of disruption, or if you wish

to travel to or from a station which you

cannot access without assistance, it may be

necessary to provide alternative transport (at

no additional cost to you) to an alternative

station. Please be aware this may take some

time to provide whilst we source a vehicle

appropriate to your needs.

7 8

• Making seat reservations, including for

dedicated wheelchair user spaces or

priority seats on trains, as well as other

operators.

• Providing information and reservations

for travelling with scooters or other

mobility aids.

• Purchasing travel tickets, (including,

where available cheaper advance fares).

This can be done at the same time you

call to book assistance, all within a single

transaction.

• Checking the accessibility and facilities

on trains and stations across the UK rail

network.

Sunflower lanyard scheme

GWR participates in the Sunflower Lanyard

and help card scheme. This is a project that

is designed to assist customers with non-

visible or hidden disabilities.

Wearing the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower

lanyard or showing people your sunflower

help card discreetly indicates to people

around you including staff, colleagues and

health professionals that you may need

additional support, help or a little more time.

Supporting the Sunflower scheme is our

way of showing customers that we care

about everyone that uses our network and

we want to make it as easy as possible for

them to travel with us. The lanyards and

help cards are available free of charge from

many station ticket offices or alternately by

contacting our Assisted Travel team on

0800 197 1329.

9 10

What to expect

Our commitment to

passengers at every

stage of the journey

Before you Travel - Journey Planning

and Information

We know how important it is for you to

have plenty of information when you

travel by train, both before and during your

journey. It is our aim to provide you with

information that is accessible, accurate,

relevant, consistent, up-to-date and easy to

understand.

Information about accessibility of our

stations and trains

Information about the accessible services

and facilities that are available at our

stations can be found on our website,

at GWR.com/stations and on request.

This will include details about; disabled

parking, staffing hours, accessible toilet

provision and accessibility of the station

and platforms.

You can find a description of what

facilities our trains have, and the routes

they generally take, in our rolling stock

information booklet that can be found on

our website GWR.com/PassengerAssist

You can also obtain this information by

calling us on 03457 000 125*, or text relay

on 18001 0800 197 1329.

Information about your journey

You can get the latest Information about

train times, including delays and planned

improvement work:

• at GWR.com

• on our Facebook page:

facebook.com/GWRUK

• on our Twitter account: @GWRHelp

• by calling our Passenger Assist team on

0800 197 1329

• by calling National Rail Enquiries on

03457 48 49 50* or

textphone 0345 60 50 600*

• by calling National Rail Enquiries’ Welsh

language service on 0345 60 40 500*

• using the Train TrackerTM text service

– text ‘dep’ then the station you need

to 84950 to get real-time information

(texts cost 25p plus your normal network

rate)

• by calling the Train TrackerTM speech

recognition system on 03457 48 49 50,

which will tell you the latest train times*

Standard network charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher.

11 12

Our booking offices and customer

information points are the easiest places

for customers with a disability to get the

information they need. Many of these are

equipped with induction loops and low-level

counters. Our staff can give you details

about the facilities, services and level of

accessibility at all railway stations in the UK,

as well as answering your questions about

your journey – including about train times

and connections.

We also provide a GWR app for a

smartphone, which provides up to date

journey information.

Ticketing and Fares

If you book some support with our

Passenger Assist team, they can also book

your tickets for you. If seats are reservable,

they can reserve seats and wheelchair

spaces for you. For services without

reservations, the Passenger Assist team

will still book your assistance for your whole

journey and our station and onboard team

will help you find a suitable space on the

train. You will be able to collect your tickets

from any station that has a ticket office

or ticket vending machine, or if you are

planning your journey in advance, then we

can send them to you in the post.

We aim to ensure that disabled customers

travelling in family groups or with

companions, are booked to sit close

together, wherever practicable. On trains

that are not reservable, staff on the train

or at the station will assist you in finding

suitable seats.

We are committed to selling tickets at

a fair price, whether the ticket is for our

network or not, and to provide you accurate

information and advice about your journey

and ticket options. Our ticket office staff and

Passenger Assist team are familiar with the

accessibility of our various types of rolling

stock, and they are trained to ensure that

the tickets you purchase will be appropriate

for your journey. We are exploring options

with the providers for our Ticket Vending

Machines to improve information and

where this is not possible will be placing

labels on the machines to make customers

aware of the need to ensure that tickets

purchased will be appropriate for a journey.

Our website provides similar information for

ticket sales.

You’ll be able to pick your tickets up from a

machine or a ticket office at the station two

hours after you book them. If you do, you’ll

need the card you paid with and the booking

reference. Station staff can also help you

collect your tickets if necessary.

Buying your own tickets

Yo u can also buy your tickets from:

• our station ticket offices

• our self-service ticket machines

• at GWR.com

• other train operators and their ticket

offices

• on the GWR app

If, due to your disability you are unable to

13 14

buy a ticket before you get on the train,

you’ll be able to buy one (with any discount

you’re entitled to) on the train or at your

destination, without penalty.

If you have a Disabled Persons Railcard

If you have a Disabled Persons Railcard,

we’ll give you a discount when you buy

your tickets online or at the ticket machine.

One adult accompanying you can also

travel at the reduced fare. At the ticket

office, you just need to show your railcard

when you buy them. You also need to carry

your railcard when you travel, so our ticket

inspectors can make sure you have the right

tickets.

Full details on how to get a railcard can be

found on:

• Website: disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk

• Email: disability@raildeliverygroup.com

• Call: 0345 605 0525*

• Minicom/Textphone: 0345 601 0132

(for people with hearing impairments)

Standard network charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher

If you have a Senior Railcard

If you’re aged 60 or over, you can get a

Senior Railcard. This gives you a third off

standard and first-class tickets across the

UK. You can buy it online, on the phone or at

any staffed station with your passport or UK

driving licence as proof of age. You can find

out more:

• at your local ticket office

• from National Rail Enquiries on

03457 48 49 50*

• at senior-railcard.co.uk

• Email:

railcardhelp@railcards-online.co.uk

Standard network charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher

15 16

If you don’t have a Railcard

If you are visually impaired

If you are a visually-impaired person

travelling with a companion and you do not

hold a railcard, the following discounts on

Anytime/Day tickets apply for both of you:

• First/Standard Anytime Single or Return

– 34% off

• First/Standard Anytime Day Single

– 34% off

• First/Standard Anytime Day Return

– 50% off

No concession applies if you are travelling

alone and you do not hold a railcard.

To obtain these discounts, a document

confirming your disability, issued by a

recognised institution (for example, Social

Services Department, Local Authority,

Guide Dog Ownership certificate, Royal

National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) or

Blind Veterans UK) is required.

Season tickets – you can be issued with one

adult season ticket to cover two persons;

the two travelling for the price of one. A

different companion may travel with you on

different days.

If you remain in your wheelchair for a rail

journey

If you remain in your wheelchair throughout

the journey and you do not hold a railcard,

you will be given the following discounts on

Anytime/Day tickets:

• First/Standard Anytime Single or Return

– 34% off

• First/Standard Anytime Day Single

– 34% off

• First/Standard Anytime Return – 50% off

The same discount will apply to one person

travelling with you.

Ticket machines

We’ve fitted automatic ticket machines

at many of our stations over the last few

years. All of them are in line with the DfT’s

‘Design standards for accessible railway

stations: a code of practice’ (Code of

practice) when it comes to accessibility. All

give a discount for people with the Disabled

Persons Railcard, and their companion.

Some stations also have ‘ticket collection

only’ machines to allow tickets bought in

advance online or over the telephone to be

easily collected.

17 18

Wheelchairs

Wheelchairs can be carried, in the

designated spaces, on all of our trains

so long as they fit within the following

dimensions:

• are no more than 700mm wide

• are no more than 1200mm long

(including the footplate)

• weigh 300kg or less (including the

weight of the customer)

If your wheelchair exceeds the above

dimensions, please contact our Passenger

Assist team on 0800 197 1329 as they may

be able to reserve you on a train which can

accommodate your wheelchair.

Mobility scooters

Some powered scooters are meant for road

use and cannot be used on trains, so please

check the dimensions with us to ensure it is

okay to use on our trains.

For this reason and because our trains

have different internal configurations, we

request that for powered scooters, you

must obtain an GWR scooter permit prior to

travel in order to board an GWR train, even

where your scooter may already meet the

dimensions criteria. This is because, with so

many different types of powered scooters

in use, this permit will ensure that our staff

can readily recognise that your powered

scooter can be safely transported on our

trains.

We can take most scooters that:

• are no more than 700mm wide

• are no more than 1200mm long

• weigh 300kg or less

(including the weight of the customer)

• have an anti-tip device

You can find out more and apply for a permit

by calling our Passenger Assist team on

0800 197 1329 or go to

GWR.com/PassengerAssist

When you’re using a scooter on the

platform, please don’t go over 3–4mph and

for your own safety, please stay behind

the yellow line until it’s time to board. Also

please take any luggage off your scooter

before the train arrives, so it won’t affect

the balance if you use the ramp. Our staff

can help you take the luggage on to the

train.

If you need to fold your scooter, and it

would be easier for you to use a wheelchair

to get on the train, just let us know. Most

of our stations have a wheelchair on the

platform. We can arrange for a member of

staff to help you to the train if you need to

use it.

On the train

Once you’ve got your scooter on board,

please sit in a seat on the train if you can,

so you can travel more safely. Please also

follow any advice our staff give you to make

your journey safe and comfortable.

19 20

If you don’t have a permit

We can still take your mobility scooter if it

can be folded down – to no bigger than an

average large suitcase – because it can go

in the luggage rack. Our staff can help you

take the luggage on to the train.

At the station

Our website contains information about

the facilities and accessibility features at

every station we manage. You can also

ﬁnd information on station facilities on the

national rail website:

• GWR.com/stations

• nationalrail.co.uk/stations

If you’ve booked assistance, please let a

member of staff know when you arrive

at the station for your journey. It’s best to

arrive at the station in plenty of time for your

train. When the train arrives, we will make

sure you, and any luggage, are successfully

boarded, seated or in a wheelchair space.

We have portable ramps at all our accessible

staffed stations and on trains. The staff will

then tell your destination station that you

are travelling, so the team there can meet

you when you arrive.

We have designated meeting points at

all our staffed stations. These are for

customers who have booked assistance

to know where to meet our staff and

information on their location can be found

at GWR.com/stations and the National Rail

website.Where assistance has not been

arranged in advance, please speak with a

member of our station or train staff and

we’ll do our best to support you. However,

we can’t guarantee we’ll be able to give

you the same level of help. For example,

our staff may not be freely available when

you need them, and there may not be

any alternative transport available at short

notice, so it may take longer to arrange.

If you need help when you get to an

unstaffed station, you can call our

Passenger Assist team on 0800 197 1329,

which is also on the welcome board at the

station, or press the information button

on the platform help point and speak to

someone who can help assistance or

transport to get you to your destination.

On the train

We have an in-depth guide to all our trains

and the facilities on them, which can be

found on GWR.com/PassengerAssist

Meeting point

21 22

Common features

found on our trains

Designated Wheelchair Spaces; These

spaces are prioritised for wheelchair/scooter

users and our on board staff will ensure the

area is kept free for wheelchair users.

Accessible Toilet; Accessible toilets are

situated near the wheelchair spaces.

Seats / Priority seating; There are clearly

labelled priority seats on our trains, usually

near the doors.

If you’re disabled, pregnant, 65 or over, or

travelling with a child under 3 and you need

to sit down when you travel, you are eligible

for a Priority Seat Card. That way, when

you ask someone for their seat, you can

show your card without having to explain

anything.

To check if you can get a card, call our

Passenger Assist team or go to

GWR.com/PassengerAssist

Trains – aural and visual information

We are committed to providing important

aural and visual travel information in a

variety of ways so that it can be accessed

as easily as possible. Our on-board staff

are trained to give announcements and all

our trains provide automated information

throughout the journey (except the Night

Riviera service). Most of our trains also

have scrolling information screens, that

provide journey information of that service.

If your disability means that you are unable

to hear the on-board announcements,

please advise a member of staff so that

alternative arrangements can be made.

During all journeys on our trains, our

announcements let customers know

what the next station is. We make these

announcements in plenty of time for

customers with a disability to get ready to

leave the train safely.

We want your journey to be as comfortable

and stress-free as possible. If there are any

aspects of your journey that you are not

sure about, or if you require further support,

please ask the station or train crew who will

do their best to help.

23 24

Assistance Dogs

We’re more than happy to welcome you,

and your registered ADUK guide or

assistance dog on all our trains, including

on our Night Riviera service where your

dog can stay in the berth with you for no

extra cost. If you book assistance through

our Passenger Assist team, they will

reserve the seat next to you in seated

accommodation, wherever possible, to

ensure adequate space for the assistance

dog.

Assistance on arrival

When a train terminates at a station, we

will help you to alight from the train as soon

as practical and within ﬁve minutes of the

train’s arrival time. This assistance may be

provided by GWR station colleagues, other

train operating staff or from our onboard

staff.

If things do not go as planned

We try to let our customers with a disability

know in advance about anything that

could affect their journeys. If there’s an

unexpected problem, we always try to let

our customers know as soon as we can,

through:

• GWR.com

• our customer information screens,

help points and station announcements

• our email, social media and text alerts

• on the national rail enquires site

We will assist you at times of disruption,

delay or emergency and provide

compensation should we fail to provide your

booked assistance. Where disruption and

delays do occur, we will do everything we

can to ensure that you are able to continue

your journey.

If you’ve booked assistance, we’ll let you

know if anything is going to seriously affect

your journey as soon as we can. If we have

your contact details, we’ll be in touch to

make different arrangements if we need to.

Our staff are trained to anticipate your

needs and will communicate news of

any service disruption and provision

of alternative transport to you via the

Customer Information Systems or, where

possible, in person. On train staff will

continually monitor the train they are

working on and will help assist and advise

passengers when disruption does occur.

At unstaffed stations you can call our

Passenger Assist team, whose phone

number is on the welcome board at the

station or press the information button on

the platform Help Point and you’ll be able to

speak to someone who can help.

You can also get in contact with us by

either:

• Twitter using @GWRHelp

• WhatsApp on 07890 608043

• Calling Passenger Assist team on

0800 197 1329

25 26

If there’s an emergency

Keeping our customers safe is our

priority. So, when it comes to handling an

emergency, we do everything we can to

give customers the support they need.

We display safety information in all our

trains about what to do in the rare event of

an emergency. Our evacuation guidelines

are either in the areas by the doors, on the

coach walls or alongside the seats.

Supporting people with a disability in an

evacuation

Our emergency plans for our stations

and trains include information about how

to support people with a disability in an

emergency. If there’s an emergency, the

safest option is nearly always for customers

to stay on the train until our staff have

fully assessed the situation. If we need to

evacuate the train, the safest place to do

it is at a station. So, unless the situation

is life threatening, we ask our customers

with a disability to stay on the train until the

emergency services arrive.

Our stations have evacuation plans which

take into account the needs of disabled

passengers. In an emergency, trained staff,

and the emergency services if necessary,

will help you get to a safe place. If we need

to evacuate an unstaffed station, we will

use the station Public Address system to

alert you.

Redress and

compensation

Passenger Assist -

What to do if our

assistance fails

If we don’t give you the support, you

booked

All individual train operating companies

have their own recompense policies, which

can be found within their own Accessible

Travel Policies. If you travel with GWR and

your booked assistance fails, you will be

compensated. If GWR fail to provide your

booked assistance this will be 100% of the

cost of a single ticket, or 50% if a return

ticket is held . If another train company was

responsible for the failure, you can contact

them directly, or we can liaise with them

on your behalf and provide you with a full

explanation in response, including why it

happened and what mitigating actions we

intend to take as a result.

The compensation scheme set out above

does not limit or exclude your other legal

rights to compensation under the Consumer

Rights Act 2015, or Equalities Act 2010. If

you believe this applies to your journey,

please contact our Customer Support team

who we will take each case on its merits

and respond appropriately.

27 28

You can contact our customer support team

through either:

• GWR.com and filling in our online form

• Calling 03457 000 125*

• Emailing GWR.Feedbac[email protected]

• Write to us at

Freepost GWR CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Standard network charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher

Where assistance has not been provided

due to a delay, and both Delay Repay and

Assisted Travel redress could apply, you will

be entitled to whichever value is the highest

but will not be able to claim both.

For information regarding your rights when

you are travelling as a consumer, including

under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, see

Gov.uk/consumer-protection-rights

Where to get

more information

and how to get in

touch

Our Accessible Travel Policy:

this document sets out in more detail our

commitments and standards of service

provision, as well as relevant policies and

practices, with regards to disabled people

using the rail network. It is available from

our Passenger Assist Team on

0800 197 1329 or online at

GWR.com/PassengerAssist

Accessibility Panel:

GWR hold a regular accessibility panel

comprising of disabled passengers and

users of assisted travel, with whom we

can consult on accessibility issues, such as

options for access improvements, raising

awareness of assisted travel and developing

new initiatives. Customers that would

like to be involved in this should e-mail

MobilityAndInclusion@gwr.com or speak

with the Passenger Assist team on

0800 197 1329.

29 30

Feedback or complaints: You can contact

our customer support team through either:

• GWR.com and ﬁlling in our online form

• Calling 03457 000 125*

• Emailing GWR.Feedbac[email protected]

• Write to us at

Freepost GWR CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Standard network charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher

If you are not happy with the way the

complaint is dealt with, please contact

the Rail Ombudsman:

• Website: railombudsman.org

• Email: info@railombudsman.org

• Phone: 0330 094 0362

• Textphone: 0330 094 0363

• Post: Freepost – RAIL OMBUDSMAN

To download a GWR network map, visit

GWR.com/plan-journey/stations-and-

routes or use the QR code below

Stations and trains accessibility

information: available from our website at:

• GWR.com/stations

• GWR.com/PassengerAssist

Day of travel queries or issues:

• WhatsApp on 07890 6080430

• Twitter using @GWRHelp

• 0800 197 1329

Passenger Assist service:

• 0800 197 1329 open 6am to 11pm every

day except Christmas Day

• Text Relay: 18001 0800 197 1329 (for

people with hearing impairments)

National Freephone Passenger Assist

service:

• 0800 022 3720

• 0845 60 50 600 textphone/minicom

More information

GWR.Feedbac[email protected]

GWR.com/contact

Like us: facebook.com/GWRUK

03457 000 125* (open 0600-2300 daily)

Earn Nectar points

Buy your train tickets online at GWR.com

Don’t miss out on our latest offers,

special deals and news. Register at

GWR.com/signup

*Standard network charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher.

Making Rail

Accessible

Helping Older and

Disabled Passengers

February 2021