Andrew Marshall-Roberts, the Access and Inclusion Manager at ScotRail, provides an overview of what the train operator is doing to assist disabled customers.

Train travel can be very stressful, especially if you’re worried about accessibility, assistance or just receiving the right kind of support. At ScotRail we push for making sure that travel is as accessible and stress-free as possible.

To achieve this, we’re planning to cut down our minimum two-hour pre-booking window to one hour before the end of next year. Although it is currently the lowest booking time in the country, we know that some journeys are unexpected, and we want to cater for everyone, no matter how last-minute. Pre-booking guarantees you a seat and assistance if you request it; this can apply for your entire journey if you so choose, whether you are staying in Scotland or travelling to England or Wales (other train operators require bookings made 24 hours in advance).

Our Passenger Assistance card can help if you are not comfortable chatting to us; by writing your destination, required train service and any other details, we can tailor our service to you. We’re also the first UK train operator to use contactSCOTLAND-BSL: the online British Sign Language interpreting service, which all ScotRail employees have access to.

Don’t forget, the Disabled Person’s Railcard can get you 30% off fares for you and a friend across the UK and a discount on entry prices at many attractions; a perfect excuse for a day out. ScotRail’s aim is to make train travel across Scotland convenient and easy for everyone and we are working hard to make this possible.

See you soon!

For more information about accessible railway travel, visit the ScotRail website: www.scotrail.co.uk/plan-your-journey/accessible-travel