Guide dog ban lifted on tube

Transport for London don't much care about disabled people. That's why, for example, a whole new tube station was built in Shepherd's Bush without any disabled step free access - when I asked Boris why he told me he thought it was just too expensive.

So it something of a turn up for the books that blind and visually impaired people will now be allowed to use their guide dogs on the tube after a bye-law was lifted last week. This rights a ridiculous wrong under which TfL did not allow guide dogs on moving escalators for fear of injury.

Thanks to the work of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association TfL has now agreed to amend the law and the Government passed it recently, meaning that from last Wednesday guide dogs have been permitted.

Boris Johnson welcomed the move by saying: 

"The modernisation of this antiquated byelaw helps make the Tube more accessible for all and is the fruit of some excellent collaborative work between Transport for London and the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association."

While Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly said:

"The ban on visually impaired people being able to take guide dogs on to moving escalators on the Tube and other parts of London’s transport network is outdated and wrong. 

“There is clear evidence that trained guide dogs and other assistance dogs can safely use moving escalators. Having campaigned on this issue I am delighted that this change is finally taking place.”