Welcome to Enabled People
information for disabled people in the UK
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About this site
Visitor's Guide to London
Most concessions available are for residents and are issued by the local council, but you can still get some assistance.
Driving
If you are a blue badge holder, the Congestion Charge is waived. You will need to complete their forms and send in evidence in advance, but once registered you can then ring in when you want to visit and let them know your numberplate and dates of your trip. The exemption applies to disabled people throughout the EU, but you must pay a one-off registration charge of £10.
If you are used to parking with a blue badge, you'll find things can be a little different in London. Many areas have red routes and no loading areas, so it's harder to find somewhere to stop. Also, three councils have opted out of the scheme so if you use your badge to stop there, you can be ticketed. However, you can search for parking bays on their website (but with no guarantee that the bays will be available!) The councils in question are parts of Camden, all of Westminster and City of London. The further you are from the centre of London, the easier it will be to find somewhere to park. Of course you can still use your blue badge in dedicated spaces such as at shopping centres.
Public transport
Unlike National Rail stations, there is no porter service and no buggy to help you on the tube or the bus! You can book assistance on the underground if you need it (for example if you are visually impaired and need help to find your interchange) but you will have to be fairly self-sufficient. Avoid travel at rush hour (before 10am and between 5 and 6.30pm) as Londoners will be in a rush and might not notice you sympathetically. It's also unlikely you will get a seat on public transport at these times. If people offer to carry your luggage, you might want to consider whether they are being helpful or are likely to run off with it. These people are in the minority, but I do prefer to struggle rather than risk accepting help, so you might need to practice getting about with your luggage.
There are few accessible underground stations, as the tube network is over 100 years old in places and has stairs everywhere! There are access maps available. If you can use escalators, many more routes are available to you. London Transport's information line is 020 7222 1234 and they can also book assistance on that line.
Many buses are low-floor and have wheelchair spaces and even extending ramps. Travellers seem much more sympathetic on buses although you may still need to ask the driver to wait until you have sat down before he moves off, and to ask passengers to give you an accessible seat. Don't be afraid to speak up. If the wheelchair space is full of pushchairs, ask for them to be folded as it is your right to that space. Londoners do tend to ignore you if you don't ask, so be loud and proud!
