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To apply for a scooter “Rail Ready” permit click the button below, or complete the application and post to:

Assisted Travel Team - Scooter Permit Application
Customer Experience Centre
Freepost NORTHERN
 

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If your scooter meets with the requirements of the scheme, we will send you a personalised card and a sticker that must be displayed on your scooter, where possible, before you travel with us. This does not replace your ticket and you will need to purchase the appropriate ticket for your journey. Please be aware that the information in this leaflet and mobility scooter badge applies to Northern services only. For travel on other operators' services, you will need to check the individual mobility scooter policies before travel.

Make sure you do not cross the yellow line on the platform before the train arrives. We also ask that any shopping or luggage is removed from mobility scooters prior to boarding as these item can affect the balance of the vehicle.

We will then put the ramp down so that you can board the wheelchair area of the train. If you are travelling without a companion, we will then bring any shopping or luggage that was removed to you. It is important that you switch off your scooters, apply the brakes and, if possible, transfer to a seat.

We recommend that you book in advance but are happy to accommodate you (if there is space available on the train) if you chose not to do so. Our Travel Assistance Team are available to help with any bookings or advice, they can be contacted on 0800 138 5560.

Find out where you can travel in our guidance booklet

Guidance booklet

 

Exclusive Offers 

Northern have teamed up with TGA Mobility to offer Northern customers discounts on products, find out more here.

Where can I use my scooter?

Use the interactive map below to find scooter friendly stations across the Northern network. More information about mobility scooter friendly journeys can be found in our guidance booklet

Zoom in to see the station names

sf   Scooter friendly station
    Scooter allowed
LEEDS HARROGATE MANCHESTER BOLTON LIVERPOOL BLACKPOOL CARLISLE NEWCASTLE MIDDLESBROUGH SUNDERLAND DURHAM SCARBOROUGH HULL SCUNTHORPE LINCOLN DONCASTER BARNSLEY BRADFORD WAKEFIELD STOKE-ON-TRENT STOCKPORT CREWE CHESTER NOTTINGHAM SHEFFIELD YORK BLACKBURN PRESTON HUDDERSFIELD
+ -

Details of all routes and stations are available in our guidance booklet. If you have any questions, please contact our Travel Assistance Team on 0800 138 5560.

If your station is on a route that allows mobility scooters, but your station doesn’t, that is likely to be due to one of several factors. We require the station to be fully accessible to accommodate safe boarding, the platform needs to be wide enough so that the ramp can be used and there is still 1.2m at the end of it to accommodate your scooter. The gradient of the ramp also needs to be within safe parameters.

If your station is on a route that is not yet within the scooter policy, please continue to check our website. We are looking to open more routes and stations as and when we can guarantee that the combination of trains and stations facilitates this.

There were several factors that we had to take into consideration to ensure that we were able to offer safe boarding to our customers. We will revisit these decisions if anything changes, such as station improvements and changes to trains.

All the information is contained on our website, but if you need a little extra support our customer experience team are always happy to help, their telephone number is 0800 200 6060.

No, you do not need a photograph, the permit is for your specific make and model of scooter and is specific to the scooter rather than a person.

Please allow 10 working days from us receiving your application to us mailing your permit out to you. There may be times when Royal Mail are particularly busy, but we will always try to turn around your application within 10 working days. If you have applied and are concerned your application is delayed please contact our customer experience centre on 0800 200 6060.

No, you will still require a valid train ticket for your journey.

We are working on a 10 working day turnaround, once you are in receipt of your permit you are ready to go out and enjoy your travels

No, your scooter must be a class 2 model with the capability of travelling at no more than 4mph. It should have anti-tip wheels at the back and have a turning circle of no more than 1.5m.  Lastly, it must fit within the standard wheelchair footprint, which is 1.2m x .7m.  If your scooter does not fit these criteria, unfortunately we cannot carry it on our trains unless it can be folded down and taken on board as luggage.  If your scooter is folded and carried as luggage you do not need a permit for it.

Unfortunately, we cannot carry class 3 scooters on our trains.

We do require your scooter to have anti-tip wheels as this safety feature has given us more flexibility to allow scooters on parts of our network that we might otherwise have had to exclude. The good news is that anti-tip wheels can usually be bought online or from accessibility retailers and can be retrofitted to vehicles.

Our Passenger Assistance team are fully briefed on our scooter policy and routes/stations that have been made scooter friendly. Assistance can be booked here or through our helpline by calling 0800 138 5560 (Text Relay 18001 0800 138 556)

Our conductors are happy to help with the ramp and supporting you on and off the train, just make yourself known to the member of staff and ensure your permit is prominently displayed so that they know you have been successful in your application for a scooter permit.

The Passenger Assistance team will hold details of other operating companies across the network and will be able to advise you. We would never advise travelling with more than one train operating company without first checking out their ability to support you on your journey.

There may be times when the train is busy and the accessible space that can accommodate scooters and wheelchairs is full, if this happens the conductors will make you aware that they cannot accommodate you on the train but will advise as to when the next train is due.

Each train operator may have different criteria for issuing their permits as well as a variety of routes and stations that they can be accepted on, please check before you travel.

The Northern scooter permit is valid on Northern trains only, please check our website for the routes that are covered.

Scooters that are folded or broken down can travel on any of our services without a permit.

If you travel with a scooter permit and we encounter disruption, we will arrange onward travel for you. If you do not hold a scooter permit or your scooter wouldn’t pass the Northern mobility scooter permit scheme criteria, we cannot guarantee onward transport.

Permits are scooter specific, if you change your scooter you will need to apply for a new permit.  Please get in touch with our contact centre for a replacement permit.

All the detail is contained within the briefing guide. Additional copies are available through our customer experience centre

Our customer experience centre can be contacted on 0800 200 6060.

Essential Safety Information
 

We’ve put together a few safety essentials to ensure that everyone is protected when travelling with us.
 

  • Shopping or Luggage should be removed from the rear the scooter prior to driving up the ramp – this is to ensure stability of the vehicle and removes the risk of tipping.
     
  • When driving on a station platform, please keep your speed to a minimum to ensure that you and those around you are not put at risk.
     
  • Never reverse backwards towards the edge of the platform, particularly when undertaking a 3-point turn.
     
  • Always ensure your scooter is properly lined up with the ramp before riding up or down, do not attempt to board/alight from an angle.
     
  • Once the scooter is in-situ on board the train, please ensure the brakes are applied.
  • Please check that your scooter is sufficiently charged prior to travelling as the power sockets on the train are not the correct voltage for charging a motorised vehicle and must not be used as they could damage your vehicle or possibly the train.
     
  • When driving on the ramp always face forward, do not attempt to reverse up or down the ramp.
     
  • It is important to ensure that your scooter is in full working order prior to travelling and that if it has been previously dismantled or folded that it has been correctly reassembled.


Future Plans

Keep an eye out on this page for information about our future plans for the Mobility Scooter Permit Scheme.
 

Help and Advice

Assisted Travel

Exclusive Offers 

Northern have teamed up with TGA Mobility to offer Northern customers discounts on products, find out more here.

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Streamline your journey and get tickets straight to your phone. Making your journey contact-free.