What to do if…
your wheelchair or mobility aid is damaged during transport and you still need to travel

What to do now

1. Make the aid and the area safe first.
   If the aid is unstable, stay where you are and ask staff to come to you. If you can move safely, move only a short distance to a safer nearby place. Turn power off if it is a powered device and check for obvious hazards: a wobbling wheel, cracked frame, failed brake, loose seat, damaged battery casing, exposed wiring, leaking fluid, or anything rubbing or dragging.

2. Tell the operator immediately and ask for accessibility support.
   Use the nearest staff member, help point, assistance point, desk, or phone route. Say:
   “My mobility aid was damaged during transport or handling and I still need to travel. I need help now, a damage report, and a safe onward travel plan.”

3. Get a basic record before the aid is moved again, if you can.
   Ask staff to create an incident or damage report and give you a reference number. Take quick photos of:

   • the damage, close up and from wider away
   • any handling tag, luggage tag, label, ticket, or booking confirmation
   • the make, model, or serial number area, if safely reachable
   • where the aid is now, if that helps show what happened

4. Ask for a practical way to continue today.
   Ask for the specific help you need in the next few hours, such as:

   • staff assistance through the station, airport, terminal, or interchange
   • a ramp, lift, step-free route, or platform-to-platform help
   • help boarding, leaving, or changing service
   • a temporary wheelchair or other equipment if one is available
   • rebooking to an accessible service if your original journey is no longer workable
   • accessible onward transport if the operator can arrange it

5. If this happened on the railway, ask station staff to arrange Passenger Assist for the rest of the journey.
   Ask for help with your next connection, boarding, alighting, ramps, and getting to the exit or next train. Passenger Assist advance requests can be made up to 2 hours before the journey, and you can also ask for last-minute “turn up and go” help at a staffed station or help point. Last-minute help may depend on staff and conditions at the time, so ask staff to tell you clearly what they can arrange now.

6. If this happened during air travel, speak to both the airline and airport assistance route.
   Use the nearest assistance point, special assistance desk, airline desk, ground handling staff, or help point. For flights covered by UK rules, if a wheelchair or other mobility equipment is lost or damaged during travel, speak with the airline and airport immediately so they can make arrangements. This can include temporary equipment, onward transport, repairs, and there may be compensation duties later. Ask them to log the damage now, give you a written reference, and explain what they can provide so you are not left unable to move safely.

7. If this happened on a bus, coach, or local transport service, ask for an incident record and immediate travel help.
   Ask the driver, station staff, terminal staff, or operator contact route to record the damage and help you continue safely. This may mean assistance, an accessible re-route, a later accessible service, or a safe place to wait while options are checked. If it happened on a London bus or at Victoria Coach Station, TfL publishes passenger rights covering disabled access and, where TfL is responsible, loss or damage to mobility equipment.

8. If you cannot continue safely, change the goal to a safe stop.
   Ask staff to help you get to a safe waiting place and to arrange an accessible alternative, such as a later accessible service or an accessible taxi route, rather than pushing on with an unsafe device.