Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Disabled Perth veteran kicked off train – because mobility scooter is too big

Ex-Para Charlie Lennon has breathing difficulties and says he can't get around without his scooter.

Charlie Lennon in Parachute regiment sweatshirt and beret seated on mobility scooter outside his Perth home
Charlie Lennon depends on his mobility scooter. Image: Supplied

A disabled Perth veteran says he fears for his health after ScotRail refused to let him board with his mobility scooter.

Ex-Para Charlie Lennon, 78, has COPD and asbestosis and struggles to walk for any distance.

He travels by rail to visit a friend’s caravan at Pettycur Bay in Fife once a month because the sea air helps his breathing.

But the last time he tried to make the journey from Perth, he was stopped in his tracks.

Station staff told him his scooter was too big for the train in question.

And now Charlie says he’s been told he won’t be able to take it on ScotRail trains in future.

The pensioner says he is effectively barred from travelling.

Perth Station with two trains
Charlie ran into bother at Perth Station. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson

“I’m disabled now, with my breathing,” he said.

“I go down to the caravan every month because it does me good to be by the sea.

“If I didn’t have the scooter I couldn’t get out and if I can’t take the train I’m stuck.

“I just want to be allowed back on the trains.”

ScotRail urged to re-think mobility scooter stance

Charlie got the mobility scooter a few months ago with assistance from veterans charity SSAFA, after his breathing and other health problems worsened.

And he says he has been permitted to take it on trains on a number of occasions previously.

This is not the first time he has encountered problems trying to travel on the rail network, however.

Charlie Lennon wearing Parachute Regiment cap
Ex-Para Charlie Lennon is pleading with ScotRail to make room for his mobility scooter. Image: Supplied.

He says he can’t get off at Kinghorn, the nearest station to the caravan park, because he can’t cross the pedestrian overbridge.

Instead, he says he has to get off a couple of stops further along and then catch the next train back to Kinghorn so he can get off on the right platform.

Charlie says he was prepared to put up with this inconvenience.

And he says he offered to park his scooter right at the rear of the last carriage so as not to cause an obstruction but he was told this is not acceptable.

ScotRail arranged for him to take a taxi following the disappointment on June 21.

But Charlie says there has been no offer of a long-term solution.

Kinghorn station with pedestrian overbridge with two decks of steps leading up to it
The pedestrian bridge at Kinghorn station is another obstacle for Charlie. Image: Tina Norris

“I got a phone call three days later to say you’ll not be able to go on our trains because your scooter doesn’t fit,” he said.

“Surely that’s discrimination. If my scooter doesn’t fit on their trains, don’t they need to offer me an alternative?”

ScotRail defends accessibility standards

The ‘accessible travel’ section of ScotRail’s website states that all of its trains accept scooters, so long as they are no greater than 104cm (41in) long and 56cm (22in) wide.

They should also weigh less than 300 kilograms (660lb) with the user on board.

Phil Campbell in front of a ScotRail sign
Phil Campbell, ScotRail customer operations director.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail customer operations director, said:  ”ScotRail is committed to making sure that our services are as accessible as possible.

“We enable tens of thousands of assisted travel journeys each year, and many more spur of the moment trips.

“We do everything we can to allow customers access with mobility scooters and wheelchairs. But unfortunately there are occasions where they cannot be safely accommodated on our trains due to size and weight limitations.

“Our ScotRail Passenger Assist service is there to provide help to customers who may need it, and advise on dimensions which can be checked before travelling by calling 0800 046 1634.”

Conversation