Paralympic athlete "robbed of dignity" as she is forced to wet herself on Coventry train

Anne Wafula Strike, a British wheelchair racer, said there was no accessible toilet facilities



A top Paralympic star was forced to wet herself in her wheelchair as the train she was on from Coventry had no accessible toilet facilities.

Anne Wafula Strike, a British wheelchair racer and disabilities campaigner, was travelling on a CrossCountry train from Coventry to Stansted on December 8 when the humiliating incident happened.

She said she was ‘robbed of her dignity’ after she had to urinate in her seat on the three hour journey.

The accessible toilet was out of order, and so staff told her to get off the train early and use one at the station.

But there were no staff to help her down from the carriage, and so she was forced to relieve herself in her wheelchair.

Ms Wafula Strike, who was awarded an MBE for her charity work, said she covered her face with her hoodie and tried to conceal the smell with perfume after the accident.

She blasted the train company for its lack of disabled facilities and said it was a “basic human right” to be able to use a toilet.

The athlete, who was born in Kenya, went public in the hope it will highlight the need for equality and accessibility for disabled people.

She told The Guardian: “Being forced to sit in my own urine destroyed my self-esteem and my confidence.

“People with disabilities don’t want perfection, we just want the basics and to have our independence. But lack of access and inclusive facilities make us feel as if we are an afterthought.

The train company apologised to Ms Wafula Strike and said it will offer her an explanation on why she was “failed” as a customer.

A CrossCountry spokesman said: “We are extremely sorry for the circumstances of Mrs Strike’s recent journey with us, and our managing director has passed on our apologies to her along with an explanation of why it appears all our systems failed her on that day.”

I really feel for her. That must have been a terrible, degrading, experience.

Disabled toilet facilities to improve after Paralympian wet herself on train from Nuneaton

Toilet access for disabled rail passengers will be improved after a Paralympic athlete wet herself due to inadequate facilities, according to the Department for Transport (DfT).

Clearer information about the availability of accessible toilets will be made available in advance of journeys and staff training will be enhanced, the DfT said.

The DfT has urged the rail industry to make sure disabled passengers are told before their train departs if facilities are out of order. It also claimed maintenance teams will ensure accessible toilets are more reliable and fixed faster when problems arise.

Rail minister Paul Maynard met with senior industry executives following an incident involving Team GB wheelchair racer Anne Wafula-Strike.

Mr Maynard said: "I take the issue of accessibility on our railways extremely seriously and these commitments from industry are just one step forward to improve things.

"It is vital that all people, including disabled passengers, are able to use public transport and I will continue to push train companies on this matter."

The DfT said 150 stations have been upgraded under the Access for All programme to remove barriers to independent travel, including installing signs, ramps and lifts. A further 68 are in construction or development.

An Accessibility Action Plan will be published by the DfT later this year to address the issue across all modes of public transport.