Transport for London (TfL) publishes a separate accessible travel policy for the London Overground (dated March 2026) and for the Elizabeth line (dated May 2026), alongside a Conditions of Carriage document dated 24 September 2026 that covers bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth line services. All three were read on 2 November 2026. This guide, which concerns services in England, reports what each says about mobility scooters. The two rail policies are worded differently in places, so each is reported on its own.
The two policies side by side
| Point | London Overground (March 2026) | Elizabeth line (May 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Size and weight stated for wheelchairs | Maximum width 700mm, length 1200mm, weight including user 300kg | Maximum width 700mm, length 1,200mm, weight including passenger 300kg |
| Scooter criteria | Four-wheeled and three-wheeled scooters, or those with a triangular footprint, that fit the same dimensions as wheelchairs, and additionally have a maximum speed of 4mph | Powered scooters, including those with a triangular footprint, must fit the same dimensions as wheelchairs; no speed figure appears in the scooter criteria |
| Pass to board | Not required | Not needed |
| Boarding ramp limit | 300kg combined weight of user and scooter | 300kg combined weight of scooter and occupant |
What the Overground policy adds
The Overground policy says some powered scooters are only meant for road use and cannot be used on trains, and asks anyone who has not travelled before, or has recently changed scooter, to check the dimensions. It says staff can advise on other train operators’ mobility scooter requirements, and that passengers should check before travelling if they need to change onto another company’s services.
Ramps are available at all accessible stations. The policy says they are designed for wheelchair and mobility scooter users but are available to any passenger who needs them, that station staff receive refresher courses annually, and that staff concerned a user and scooter exceed 300kg may refuse to assist with boarding.
What the Elizabeth line policy adds
The Elizabeth line document makes the same point about road-only scooters and adds that it is the passenger’s responsibility to ensure they can control the scooter to get on and off the train safely. Boarding ramps are available at stations without step-free access from platform to train, and are not needed at Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Whitechapel, Canary Wharf, Custom House and Woolwich. TfL’s Elizabeth line fleet sheet (September 2025) lists four wheelchair spaces in coach 5 of each nine-coach Class 345 train and says mobility scooters and other mobility aids are accepted.
Help at the station
The Overground policy says staff can help at all stations from first to last train, that this includes boarding via a ramp for wheelchair and mobility scooter users, and that both pre-booked assistance and turn up and go services are offered. On the Elizabeth line, the policy says booking is not needed because a turn up and go service operates, although assistance can optionally be booked through Passenger Assist. Both policies say staff cannot help with personal care.
When a station is not accessible
The Overground policy says that if stations become inaccessible, alternative accessible transport will be arranged without additional charge. The Elizabeth line policy says it will arrange suitable transport if disruption leaves trains or stations inaccessible.
Where the Conditions of Carriage fit
The Conditions of Carriage dated 24 September 2026 give scooter limits in the section on buses: up to 60cm wide, up to 100cm long and a maximum turning radius of 120cm, within the weight limit shown on the ramp or beside the doorway. The section covering the Underground, DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth line does not repeat size limits for scooters. It tells customers with a mobility impairment to use TfL’s accessibility pages or Customer Services for information about stations and trains. The 700mm, 1,200mm and 300kg figures above are therefore stated in the rail policies for their own trains, and the bus figures are stated for buses.
If a wheelchair or scooter is larger
Both rail policies tell wheelchair users whose chairs exceed the stated dimensions to contact TfL before travelling. The Elizabeth line policy says these limits take account of the size of train doors, the space to turn inside the train and the weight limit for boarding ramps. The Overground policy gives the same reasons: the size of train doors, turning circles in the train and the weight limit of boarding ramps.
The bottom line
For the London Overground, TfL’s March 2026 policy states a 700mm by 1200mm footprint, 300kg including the user, no pass requirement and a 4mph maximum speed for three- and four-wheeled scooters. For the Elizabeth line, the May 2026 policy states the same footprint and weight figures and no pass requirement, and its scooter criteria contain no speed figure. Both policies are TfL’s own documents, and the Conditions of Carriage state their scooter size limits for buses.
Sources
- London Overground accessible travel policy, Transport for London, March 2026, read 2 November 2026 (content.tfl.gov.uk)
- Elizabeth line accessible travel policy, Transport for London, May 2026, read 2 November 2026 (content.tfl.gov.uk)
- Conditions of Carriage for Bus, Tube, Tram, DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth line Services, Transport for London, 24 September 2026 until further notice, read 2 November 2026 (content.tfl.gov.uk)
- Elizabeth line train information, Accessible travel policy, Transport for London, September 2025, read 2 November 2026 (content.tfl.gov.uk)