Claire Lomas: 'What happened when I tried to take a staycation as a wheelchair user'

From navigating the booking process to taking trains, just how challenging can travel be when your mobility is impaired? Watch to follow athlete and charity fundraiser Claire Lomas' journey

With summer on the horizon, many of us are thinking about packing our bags and looking forward to some rest and relaxation away from home.

But for many of the 15 million disabled Britons, getting away from it all can be more trying than just staying put.

Official figures show disabled people make 38% fewer journeys than non-disabled people.

For ITV's Tonight programme Access Denied? Britain's Mobility Problem, Claire Lomas—a wheelchair user, charity fundraiser, athlete, wife and mum—made a journey across the UK to understand the challenges facing people with mobility problems as they try to get around.

Follow Claire's journey as she navigates the transport network from her home in Melton Mowbray to the Yorkshire Dales for a mini-break, and explores what can—and is—being done to improve facilities to make stress-free travel a right for everyone.

'Trying to book my trains'

When it comes to holidays—immovable bookings, deposits and time off work—supposedly relaxing getaways can easily turn into grueling ordeals.

I want to get out on my own break. I’m heading to Yorkshire from my home in Melton Mowbray.

Booking trains as a person with disabilities requires forward planning.

I'm going to travel by train. I would have had to change four times for the quickest option. But I'm going to opt for the three, because there's less opportunity for things to go wrong.

The Passenger Assist system should mean that I am met with assistance and a ramp at each leg of my journey.

And when the day itself arrives, all seems to be going smoothly. Until our second train...

'My train is cancelled'

I just found out my train is cancelled. So I'm going to go to Grantham and then change there and onto Leeds. Changing it to three stops is now back to four stops.

And once I’m onboard, despite the previous station saying they called ahead—no one is there with a ramp for me on the ground. This happens a lot.

A guard eventually arrives to help. Rail operator LNER later tells us that due to disruptions, the assistance I needed was not received.

They have said that while they did assist me off the train in Grantham, they are investigating the situation to understand the “full details of the experience” and that the “Passenger Assist team works hard to ensure the customers get the best possible experience.”

'All I want to to do is go to sleep'

I arrive in Leeds– my final destination for the day.

Thankfully Leeds has step free access—so I can get around the station just fine—but only one-fifth of UK stations do

Travelling in the UK with a disability can be an anxiety-inducing and disheartening experience.

When I finally get to my hotel, all I want to do is go to sleep.

A lot of journeys do run smoothly of course but 65% of disabled people say issues with travel have impacted their decision to take on leisure journeys 

It feels like people have had enough. 

And that change is no longer being asked for, but demanded. 

In my time travelling across the UK, it’s clear that there’s still a LOT more to be done to ensure accessibility is guaranteed for everyone 

But it’s also heartening - for many people with limited mobility - to know that this no longer feels like an ideal or aspiration – but something being prioritized... and on the horizon.  

• Join Claire Lomas on Thursday at 8.30pm on ITV1 for Tonight: Access Denied? Britain’sMobility Problem and catch up later on ITVX.

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