By Ciara Griffiths
Having relied on the London Underground to get to and from work for the last two years, I and my fellow commuters have faced many challenges. Protest crowds, football fans, signal failures, broken-down trains, and complete suspensions on the Line. Inconveniences, yes, but at the end of the day, manageable. Then there are the Tube strikes.
In March-June this year, the RMT Union called for strike action, resulting in severe disruption. When faced with these strikes, we might mutter to ourselves, ‘Not again. How am I supposed to get to work?’. Tube strikes often dominate headlines because of delays and inconveniences, but their hidden impact on visually impaired passengers is discussed far less.
Before I go further, I should state that this article is not to pass judgement on those striking or their reasons. Being legally exempt from driving any vehicle due to my visual impairment, I do not consider myself an expert on this issue either. The purpose of this article is to highlight the additional challenges the strikes pose to visually impaired people.
London is full of life. It is why I have loved living here, having moved from Buckinghamshire with my brother last year. With four million passengers using the London Underground daily, it comes as no surprise to find busy platforms. When travelling, I always carry a white and red symbol cane, purchased from the RNIB. The white symbolizes my visual impairment and the red symbolises my hearing impairment. This is for those around me, to show that I need extra time navigating my way around. It comes into its own on the Tube, communicating my impairments to my fellow commuters.
However, on a strike day when there is mass disruption and everybody is crammed onto the platform, waiting for the next eventual train, it can get very overwhelming. Symbol canes can easily become lost in tight spaces like these, which is why I sometimes resort to holding mine high in the air. Even then, the symbol cane can be missed in the mad rush to catch the next train. As well as feeling overwhelmed, the crowd can sometimes leave me feeling vulnerable.
In the lead-up to these strikes, the advice is typically to ‘plan ahead’. That is easier said than done with a visual impairment. Before I started my job, I practiced my route to work to familiarise myself with the London Underground. This was also to make me aware of the obstacles, roads, steps and traffic lights along the way. This all gets thrown out the window when the network is disrupted and I have to find alternative and new means of travel.
Having come to rely so much on the London Underground, navigating an unfamiliar route can be daunting. I find myself fretting how I will get from A to B, how busy it will be, if I will be able to see the signs or hear the announcements. These thoughts can make for an unpleasant travelling experience.
Someone once told me ‘just walk’. I do love to walk, enjoy the fresh air and look after my fitness. But herein lies the same problems I previously mentioned. I would be navigating a new route on already-busy streets made even busier by the effects of the strikes. Besides, walking from South London to the West End is far from ideal. The easiest option has always been the London Underground because it is the system I know best. When that system is stripped away or severely disrupted, an easy, familiar journey becomes an exhausting challenge.
Asking for help is not something to feel embarrassed by. I encourage it. I initially worried that asking for help would hinder my independence that I so craved, but I soon got over my fear after a member of TfL staff assisted me during a overcrowded evening on the Tube. However, when there are strikes, there are less staff. When there are less staff, there are less people to ask for platform assistance or directions. With limited access to assistance, travel on the London Underground during strike days may become difficult.
There was one instance where a train pulled into Earl’s Court during an April strike day that read ‘NOT IN SERVICE’, but the doors opened anyway and people got on. There was no announcement to tell us otherwise, or what was going on. It transpired that the train was heading to Upminster, which was convenient, but this was only after the automated announcement changed three times. First it was ‘a Circle Line train to Liverpool Street’, which was an achievement given we were leaving Earl’s Court which only serves the District and Piccadilly Lines. Then we were going to Barking, then to Upminster. I laugh about it now, but I find myself reflecting on how confusing this all must have been for those who use assistance to help them navigate the city.
I love travelling on the London Underground and I see no reason to stop, despite the additional challenges faced. As my job involves giving people directions, I know the Tube map pretty well, too. However, even though I strive for independence every day, strike days can quickly turn confidence into uncertainty. What is an inconvenience for many can become a vulnerable challenge for visually impaired passengers simply trying to get from one place to another.
