Disabled man told ‘he was too drunk’ to board Merseyrail train

11 comments

1. Opinion: This train company hires private security forces to patrol their trains looking for passengers to privately prosecute (the same mechanism the post office used against postmasters). They allegedly pay these forces a commission per offence they report so they are encouraged to drag out minor issues. There are a handful of stories of these gaurds getting out of hand, like the one above.

   In my view, Merseyrail are a terrible company. If you’re ever in Liverpool, take the bus. It is a longer ride, but it’s cheaper and you can avoid a train company that has gotten drunk off of private prosecution.

2. That takes some doing – my experiences of MiseryRail were that it was a playground for the absolutely twatted. Nice to see it’s being addressed 20 years too late because it truly is/was a bad experience and a gamble if you don’t get heckled or something on a journey outside of hardcore commuter hours.

3. isn’t it just as bad us assuming someone disabled can’t drink or couldn’t possibly get drunk

   (no I didn’t open the link)

4. Merseyrail have a track record of being utter arseholes who want to bleed the public dry. Fuck them

5. About 15ish years ago, I was on last train from Liverpool. People used to smoke on it, yes I’m guilty but was 20 and stupid. Anyway 15+ people must have been smoking, I’m closest to the end of the carriage and ticked guy comes out and says I’m off the train next stop. Knowing I’m the dickhead, I half pleaded my case and resigned to fact i was getting off 20 miles from home. Until a girl legged it from the other end of the train, showed ticket guy something on her phone and said she’d show everyone if I was kicked off. She never told me what it was. Until this day I wonder what was on that phone.

   Anyway, I would have been screwed these days with private security fining people on trains.

6. I live in Liverpool and this made me laugh.

   As far as I am aware the standard to be on a Merseyrail train is to not currently be shooting at the staff in James St. Undoubtedly they have by-laws on intoxication that cover them but if youd seen the variety of smack/crack/spice heads on the train… This man was very unlicky.

7. Always seems to be Merseyrail in these stories, their security is ridiculous. 

   They always go for the easy targets too; I was coming home from work once in a suit, had the edge of my foot on the dirty metal bit between the seats and got fined £60, they completely ignored the lad in a tracksuit with his hood up and both feet firmly on the actual seat in the next row…

8. As someone with experience in the comms industry, the response from Merseyside Rail here is disgraceful. It’s a complete and total cop out that negates any sense of compassion or empathy. I really hope this story gets some traction because somebody should be held to account for this.

9. I had a mate in school with Cerebral Palsy, it wasn’t too bad, he had a limp and what not but other than that he was alright. When we’d go out drinking slightly underage he’d get this regular, “sorry mate you’ve clearly had enough, get yourself home”, he’d then go on tell them his condition, horror and embarrassment from the bouncers would ensue and he’d not get ID’d. Was a genius idea to us at the time.

10. The ultimate answer is guards are scared. It’s easier to fine an 18 year old girl with her foot in the middle than it is to confront a gang of boys.

11. nothing new. similar stories across the uk from many different public transport companies.