Whacky routes. That's what you get from Transport for London (TfL)'s journey planner, as I found out recently when on a trip with Radio 4's Peter White.

We were recording an article about travel through London for disabled people - it was done as if we were tourists travelling to the Olympics / Paralympics, so we checked out the route from Heathrow to Stratford. It's something we've done a few times now, checking each year to see if things have improved. And every time, things get weirder and weirder!

All I can say is that I pity the tourists. You'd think it would be easy to get around the city, but it seems you need extra information up your sleeve as TfL's online journey planner never gives the full picture and the results from their callcentre are rather hit and miss as well.

In my case, their system tells me how to get from Heathrow to Stratford without steps, but neglects to mention the rather large step between the train and the platform - a killer for me in my wheelchair! But even when I've been looking up routes for friends, the suggestions aren't ideal. It might suggest a route which is quickest by one or two minutes, but which requires extra changes. Or if you select the "fewest changes" option, you might get the easiest route - but it fails to tell you how busy the trains are at rush hour and that you might find an alternative route more pleasant - unless you like sticking your face in someone else's sweaty armpit, and having less room to move than a veal calf in a crate.

When friends visit, they inevitably ask me for the best or easiest route around the city and I recommend that if they are able, just walk from place to place, at least in the centre of town. Otherwise, take the bus and see the sights from on board! When I first came to London I always aimed for the tube station nearest to my destination, so I only oriented myself via the view from each station. I had no idea of how everything joined up until one day when my student grant was late and I ended up walking to save money. What an eye opener.

I've encountered tourists getting on the tube at Tottenham Court Road only to alight at Leicester Square - just a few minutes' stroll away. If only they knew about the walk! They'd see more of our beautiful city, and get fitter into the bargain. If walking is out of the question for you then just take a bus. You'll get to learn how everything links together, while staying warm and dry. For the non-tourists (aka hardened residents) maybe going on a stroll or a bus ride will remind you of all the possibilities in this city, and give your spirit a boost.

But whatever you do, don't ask TfL's journey planner how to get from A to B. That's just asking for trouble.

You can listen to Flash on You and Yours here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/items/03/2009_03_fri.shtml