UK: The Office of Rail & Road has raised concern over the rate of station lift faults, and it is to review of Network Rail’s processes to ensure it is taking appropriate measures to plan and carry out maintenance and repairs.
ORR says there are 1 331 passenger lifts managed by Network Rail at 491 stations. In the year from October 2022 there were more than 8 600 faults, with each taking an average of over 20 h to repair. Passengers got trapped in a lift on 601 occasions.
ORR found that there has been progress in making real-time information on lift availability accessible to passengers and staff, with 86% of lifts now able to automatically report their status and live information available to third-party app and website developers.
‘Lift reliability is crucial for an accessible railway’, said Stephanie Tobyn, ORR’s Director of Strategy, Policy & Reform on March 15. ‘Out-of-service lifts pose barriers for disabled passengers, as well as those with mobility issues, pushchairs, or luggage. When a lift is unavailable, accurate information is then essential for confident journey planning. While progress is being made, sustained focus and further improvement is vital.’
Network Rail acknowledged the findings and said it is taking steps to address lift performance.
