Andy Burnham personally apologises to disabled man ‘left stranded’ on Metrolink platform
Andy Burnham has apologised to a disabled Metrolink passenger who was left stranded at a tram stop due to two ‘broken-down lifts’.
Wheelchair user Gary Dawson fumed in a viral video clip posted last Saturday (December 13), claiming Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) ‘clearly don’t care about people with disabilities’.
In the video, Gary shows himself on the Failsworth Metrolink platform in his wheelchair filming both lifts adding there is ‘no way down’ with the only other option being stairs.
Gary, who has used a wheelchair since a motorbike accident in 2003, told viewers: “Guess what? This lift is out of order.”
As he filmed the other lift on the opposite side of the platform, he added: “Okay, no problem, there’s another lift there. Guess what? That lift is out of order.
“Can I raise the attention of customer services? Of course not. No-ones answering. The emergency services button? Course not working. And there is no way down. This way, we have stairs, that way, we have stairs.
“How is this even classified as okay? You do not accommodate wheelchair users. How can you even say that you are a travel service for the people, when this is your standard? F****ing sh**e you are.”
In the caption for the video, Gary added: “Now I need to go to the next stop and push the distance back. Thanks @officialtfgm you clearly don’t care about people with disabilities #secondclasscitizen.”
TfGM apologised in the aftermath of the video, but the Greater Manchester mayor has now extended a personal apology.
“Gary, I apologise to you. It should not happen. We will do better,” he told BBC Radio Manchester on Thursday (December 18).
Mr Burnham added: “I absolutely take on board we need to do better in this regard and get the repairs done more quickly.
“The truth of the matter is the lifts and escalators will break down from time to time. It can be difficult to get the parts or get them repaired
I have seen this video and it’s not acceptable and we need to act on it. “I went back to the team and said we have to get better, clearer turnaround times and a service standard around repairing infrastructure and clarity where they won’t be able to access lifts or escalators.”
A minimum ‘service standard’ will be created for making accessibility repairs in a timely manner next year.