Wheelchair user locked in train in Dublin by staff for 35 minutes

A wheelchair user was left alone on a locked train in Dublin as there were no staff available to help him disembark.

Wed, 13 May, 2015 - 01:00

Denise O’Donoghue

Gerard Gallagher was travelling between Sligo and Connolly Station in Dublin and was left alone on the train in an empty station, after the other passengers had departed, it has emerged. There was no staff member available to provide a ramp and assist him from the train.

He says it was the first time in many years that he felt “completely disabled”.

“I had to leave my mobility scooter in a wheelchair area and find a seat in a nearby carriage,” Mr Gallagher says.

“On arrival in Connolly Station, I had to wait for all the other passengers to disembark so that I could get to my mobility scooter more easily.

“I was by the door awaiting assistance very shortly after the last passenger in my carriage had disembarked. I waited for approximately five minutes and then realised that there were no Irish Rail staff members coming forward to provide the ramp.

“The power to the train was turned off and I was left in complete darkness for 35 minutes. All the doors closed around me. I tried contacting the office for Connolly Station by phone but there was no reply, shortly after this my phone died as there were no charge points on this train.

“I had no way of contacting anyone. I was completely alone and no one knew where I was.”

Mr Gallagher pressed the carriage’s emergency buttons at the wheelchair location and in the nearby toilet but he received no response. Thirty minutes later, a cleaner on a nearby platform heard his shouts for help.

“It was the first time in many years that I felt completely disabled,” said Mr Gallagher. “I was trapped in the train and I thought I was going to be stuck there overnight.”

A formal complaint to Irish Rail was filed by Mr Gallagher last week, who says it is an important equality issue. Irish Rail are investigating the complaint.