The basis of the Firstbus case was that the bus company must do more than get their drivers to just ask pushchair users to vacate the wheelchair space. All sides agreed from the very start that the bus driver must at least ask the non-disabled person(s) occupying the wheelchair space to make way for a wheelchair user. Now they have to “request and pressurise“.
Yet there are still examples of bus drivers refusing to ask people to move. I’ve already discussed a bus driver who refused to let a wheelchair user on even though the wheelchair space was free. Here’s a video showing a bus driver refusing to even ASK the people occupying the space to move so that his mother could get on in her wheelchair at the hospital bus-stop, where they had been visiting his father.
@DisRightsUK @kingqueen3065 @EHRC @FryLegal @transportforall How do you all feel about this? pic.twitter.com/cK2EPXbD6D
— Wheelchairs matter ♿ (@Wheelchairsmat1) February 4, 2017
Utterly disgusting and unacceptable. But not the first time – it had already happened to the same person the same week:
@kingqueen3065 @nxwestmidlands This happened Tuesday of this week too. That’s twice in one week! I’ve emailed its customer services re Tue.
— Wheelchairs matter ♿ (@Wheelchairsmat1) February 4, 2017
@johnpringdns @kingqueen3065 The @nxwestmidlands driver told me on Tuesday that it was up to HIM who got on the bus. #RighttoRide
— Wheelchairs matter ♿ (@Wheelchairsmat1) February 2, 2017
And on multiple occasions over the last 6 years:
@kingqueen3065 @nxwestmidlands mom has been left at bus stops numerous times over the past 6ys, since the Equality Act came in. #RighttoRide
— Wheelchairs matter ♿ (@Wheelchairsmat1) February 4, 2017
The impact is significant.
@kingqueen3065 @Retro_Kitty79 Thanks. I’ve been really shaken by it & mom’s distraught. Its worse for her as she’s a natural worrier anyway.
— Wheelchairs matter ♿ (@Wheelchairsmat1) February 4, 2017
@kingqueen3065 @Retro_Kitty79 it’s also the embarrassment of the people on the bus thinking that you’re wrong & the driver is right.
— Wheelchairs matter ♿ (@Wheelchairsmat1) February 4, 2017
Over the past 5 years of the court case, and especially since the judgment, I’ve had large numbers of wheelchair users contact me telling them they are still experiencing such problems.
There was the incident on the way home from the Supreme Court case.
More:
@SarahLudford @LibDemNewswire @kingqueen3065 It’s been me for last 4 months. TFL bus driver refused to let me on the day after the ruling.
— Scot Stanfield (@scotstanfield) January 30, 2017
Had a situation with a bus driver @stagecoachgroup refusing to request mother’s fold down their prams to vacate wheelchair space recently. https://t.co/1ZmaN4njm9
— Ellena Deeley (@EllenaDeeley) February 5, 2017
Just been refused access to a Nu-Venture bus because the driver does not want to ask schoolchildren to move down the bus!!!!
— Sue Groves MBE (@SUEG46) February 3, 2017
@TfL disgraceful scenes on no. 24 bus to Pimlico as driver refuses to allow wheelchair pass to board b/c there was buggy on bus pic.twitter.com/pxCkg1KDIS
— Emeka Forbes (@emekaforbes) January 28, 2017
@kingqueen3065 no – driver insisted the buggy had priority
— Emeka Forbes (@emekaforbes) January 30, 2017
@kingqueen3065 Yes she moved into the free buggy space ! It was the driver who said he could not take myself and buggy which I understand is incorrect.
— Dan Randerson (@DanRand1) January 24, 2017
#1stcome1stserve? @TfLAccess 345pm mvs bus 161 driver let down the ramp and then told me to get off bec of buggy. @kingqueen3065 pic.twitter.com/mY5K7uy1hy
— eleanor 翠華 (@e_lisney) January 24, 2017
@safc4ever @kingqueen3065 That’s happened a lot too… I get up the ramp, “mum” doesn’t move, I have no choice but to go back down.
— Crippi Longstocking (@notwaving) January 21, 2017
@notwaving @mostly_sleepy @FryLegal @LouMull @kingqueen3065 If I was only refused 3x a week, I’d be happy!! @FirstWestYorks are awful.
— Kate (@campbellscat) January 20, 2017
I’ve also received a large number of emails from people experiencing this. E.g.:
i’m in a wheelchair and the bus driver said i could not get on due to 2 pushchairs being on the bus there was space for the 2 pushchairs to go together and for me to go into the wheelchair space the bus driver still refused
sue the company.
Unity Law. Nuff said.