A Belfast man who is totally blind has called on Translink to do more to assist passengers who are visually impaired after being told by staff at Grand Central Station they are not allowed to assist him to get a taxi for his onward journey.
Oran Morrison, 63, regularly travels to Enniskillen from the new £340 million transport hub and requests assistance in advance to get from the station to nearby taxis at Glengall Street.
However, Oran says on several occasions when he has arrived into the station, special assistance staff have not turned up as requested
He also says he has been told they are not allowed to assist him to get a taxi as insurance reasons mean staff are not allowed to work outside the building.
“Just to cover myself, I book assistance in advance letting them know what bus I am getting on and what time I will be there,” Oran told the Irish News.
“I don’t expect a flag and a marching band when I get there, I just need some assistance. First of all to the loo and then to where the taxis are gathered beside the old Europa bus centre.
“Of course when I have arrived in on the last couple of occasions there is nobody there to meet me, so I have to rely on the goodwill of the drivers.
“I take the driver’s arm over to customer services, tell them what I’m looking for and someone comes out and completes my journey.
“But it all depends who you get, I was taken down to the taxis by a woman the other day, but she told me that staff have been told they are not allowed to leave the building with me, for insurance reasons.
“It leaves me in a very difficult position because I’m grounded then and through no fault of my own I can’t find where the taxis are.
“I would never be able to get there myself.”
Oran’s story follows on from that of Children in Crossfire charity founder Richard Moore, who is also blind and told the Irish News of his negative experience at the station last week.
“I’m in a catch 22 because there are no taxis wanting to come near the station itself when there is no taxi rank,” Oran adds.
“Up to now I have met staff with a wee bit of common sense who were happy to take me down, but it’s putting them into a difficult position.
“If they stuck to their guns, I would be in a lot of bother.
“And it’s just the stress of it, I’m thinking about it on the journey on the way up even though I put the request in in advance.”
While not commenting on Oran’s case in particular, Translink said it was working towards opening a taxi rank directly outside the new station.
“When the public realm space outside Belfast Grand Central Station is completed, a taxi rank and drop off area will be located directly outside the station,” a spokesperson said.
