(Image: NQ)
A little extra walking never hurt anyone
There's been a lot of complaints regarding the diversion work near the National Railway Museum and the hardship caused to some visitors.
Just before the school holidays, I walked with a party of children from St Wilfrid's School, Monkgate, a distance of perhaps a mile and a half.
Despite it being a hot day, the children, aged eight to nine years old, were unruffled by the heat and distance. Excited by the visit and carried by their young legs, we soon arrived.
Despite the heat and distance, the children had a fantastic time. The people who complained regarding the diversion were obviously using older legs and only walking a fraction of the distance covered by the children to a “totally free”, world-renowned exhibitions.
They should man up and stop complaining, or perhaps get a life.
What a perfect opportunity for any fit individuals to set up a sedan chair taxi service for individuals unable to make the walk to the museum.
D M Deamer Penleys Grove Street Monkgate York___
Railway museum detour left me exhausted
The new route to the National Railway Museum is signposted, easy to follow and does have a few benches on the way.
However, it is an extra 15 minutes of walking from the nearest park-and-ride stop, with no true alternatives other than to walk.
As a visitor who has been many times before, through childhood and adulthood, I was advised by the relatives I was staying with that there was a slightly longer walk. I could not have envisioned the 15-minute detour to the other side of the building.
Usually, all that walking energy would have gone into seeing the exhibits. Instead, I was left exhausted, having been carrying my 8 kg baby.
We went into the Great Hall and looked around for an hour. After that, I was exhausted. Admittedly, it was my own fault, as I know there was another hall, but I couldn't for the life of me work out how to get to it.
We missed the fact that Station Hall now has its own entrance, meaning we had to leave the site and re-enter. To be quite frank, I was tired from all the walking.
The museum is an amazing attraction and experience, but the extra walking detracts from the visitor experience, especially as it was only part of our day out around York.
I hate to think what someone with a physical disability or chronic energy issues would feel. I dreaded the walk back to town and ended up splashing out on the road bus.
I won't be going again until the works are complete, which is a huge shame for such a wonderful attraction.
Alexandra Merrifield Cranbrook KentRecommended reads:
Museum detour is not accessible for all
The walk around is terrible for disabled people, and the road train only stops at the Minster, which is useless if you arrive by train.
Why could they not use a second road train on the walk from the original entrance around the site? The pathway is wide enough to do so.
Mike Durant Long Eaton DerbyshireWhat do you think?
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