Rolling Traveler

When I first went to London with my wheelchair, I discovered that the Tube was no longer a viable option for me. For a brief time, I thought getting around was going to be very awkward and slow, involving complicated bus routes with several changes of bus, not to mention a little stressful, as I was sure I would have to spend the whole time with my eye on the street signs to make sure I didn’t miss my stop. However, while the buses are slow because of the city’s traffic congestion, the routes were more straightforward than I thought, and the drivers are very good about announcing stops that have been requested. Not only that, all but two of the city’s bus routes are fully accessible, and free of charge to wheelchair users. Even better yet, my friends Tom and Eric found a bus route so perfect for my needs in the city, it was like I’d planned it out myself. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the number 23.

 Besides being perfect for my needs, I believe the 23 is a great bus for any tourist who wants to plan a day seeing a good chunk of the city’s tourist attractions. Of course there are many things to see in London that aren’t on this route, but it has enough to plan a great day out around.

Whether you’re coming in on the Heathrow Express or Heathrow Connect to Paddington Station, or on the Stansted Express to Liverpool Street Station, you’ll be able to catch the 23, as it stops at both stations. Liverpool Street Station is one of its terminus points, and that’s where I usually catch it, having come in on an early morning flight from Dusseldorf.

 From there, the 23 passes through some minor historic London streets, like Broad Street and Queen Victoria Street, before coming to the world-famous St. Paul’s Cathedral. The historic cathedral dates from the 17th Century, and is now partially wheelchair accessible. St. Paul’s is also very near some other major tourist spots: if you go downhill to the riverbank from the cathedral through the City of London School, you will come to the Millennium Bridge. Furthermore, on the opposite bank stand the Tate Modern, built in a former power station and making amazing use of the turbine room space, and the Globe Theatre, a theatre and museum dedicated to the exploration of Shakespeare’s work.

 From St. Paul’s, the 23 continues down Fleet Street, the former home of the British Press, and on to Charing Cross Station, an interesting area architecturally, and one which is close to Charing Cross Road, famous from the book and movie, 84 Charing Cross Road. The next stop on the route is Trafalgar Square, home to the iconic Nelson’s Column with its guard of four huge lions, the fourth plinth with its commissioned sculptures, and the incredible National Gallery with one of the largest collections of Western European art in the world. Like the Tate Modern, visiting the National Gallery is something you’ll need to do multiple times to take it all in. Standing at the front of the National Gallery and looking into the distance, you’ll be able the Clock Tower of Westminster which houses Big Ben. Although it’s far too far away to walk to from here, it’s an icon of London, and worth noting every time you can see it.

 After passing Piccadilly Circus, which is a central point from which many West End theatres can be reached, the 23 comes to Oxford Circus, which is at one end of Oxford Street, the place to go shopping in London. Oxford Street no longer has the problem with crowds that it used to, but it is still a busy street, but worth a visit for the window shopping alone. The window display at Selfridges is always incredible, and the whole street comes alive with interesting window dressing at the run-up to Christmas.

 Traveling the length of Oxford Street, the 23 comes to the solid and imposing Marble Arch, one of the corners of Hyde Park, a huge sprawl of green in the heart of the city. Hyde Park is great for a stroll, but be warned: getting into the park from the Marble Arch corner isn’t easy with a wheelchair. There are underpasses to get in a little way up from the Arch; otherwise, you can walk farther and approach from another corner. The park has no steep slopes, so it’s not a strain to go for a stroll with a wheelchair, but the distances on the map can be deceptive, so give yourself plenty of time. The Serpentine and the Diana Memorial Fountain are both within, and worth a look. The Green Park meets Hyde Park at Hyde Park Corner, with the Wellington Arch and the Australian and New Zealand War Memorials between the two.

 If you have the energy and time, it’s a pleasant forty-minute walk from Marble Arch via Hyde Park Corner and the Wellington Arch to Buckingham Palace. The Queen’s London Residence is as impressive as you’d imagine, and the changing of the guards is a classic London moment that a first-time visitor should try to see. There are other ways to get to the Palace, but this is my personal favorite route, despite the length. The square outside the Palace is dominated by a statue of Queen Victoria, and if you look in the direction she is looking, you’ll again see in the far distance the recognizable shape of the Clock Tower of Westminster.

 After Marble Arch, the 23 doesn’t pass much more of interest to tourists until it comes to Paddington Station, the arrival point for trains from Heathrow. From there, it heads out into the Notting Hill area, which is my personal favorite part of the city. I generally stay out here, which is why the 23 is such a great bus for me personally. You can get a great sense of everyday West-End London life in the narrow streets around the famous Notting Hill Gate. The wonderful mile-long Portobello Road Market is located just a few blocks away, and it’s an unmissable street market that sells everything imaginable.

 The 23 route is my London, and I recommend many of the places along that way to visitors to the UK’s capital. It might not be the ideal bus for you, but you’ll certainly see a lot if you travel by it. You should also look out for your own perfect bus route, one that will take you past everything you want to see. Be sure to share it with me if you find one.

London Bus Accessibility: London buses rate a Good for accessibility. Only two lines, the Heritage 9 and 15 routes, use the old-style non-accessible models. where you board and disembark at the back.  All the other buses are low-floor vehicles with boarding ramps on the middle doors.

If you wish to get on, wait at the stop in such a position that the driver can easily see you, and make sure he or she knows you want to board. You’ll board through the middle doors: move back and wait at the doors for the ramp to be extended, and then you can just roll on. If the angle is too steep, the driver will assist you. Tell the driver where you’re getting off. You don’t have to pay: wheelchair users travel free on London buses, but traveling companions do not. It’s best to buy day passes.

Note that each bus can only take one wheelchair at a time, and that there is a size limit to wheelchairs carried: 27.5 inches (70 cm) wide and 47 inches (120 cm) from front to back. The buses only have limited space. If your chair is too big or there is already a chair on board, then the driver will refuse to take you. There are no straps or security devices on  board, so you need to put your brakes on and hold on to one of the hand rails, if possible. If someone is in the wheelchair berth, tell them to move.

If you recognize where you are and you want to get off, hit the blue button with the wheelchair symbol on it to signal to the driver that he or she needs to pull into the curb fully and let you out. Other passengers will be let off first, then the doors will be closed to extend the ramp, then reopened.

Above all, remember to communicate clearly with the driver about where you want to go, and if you think it’s necessary, remind him when you think you’re nearly there.

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