Young mum claims victory in buggy bus doors fight
By Aline Nassif
aline.nassif@essnmedia.co.uk
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VICTORY: Laura Marshall with daughter Elizabeth
A young mum has claimed a significant victory for single buggy users, after being ordered off a bus.
Laura Marshall suffered the indignity of a driver of a 289 bus on Lower Addiscombe Road refusing to let her on.
The 30-year-old, of Kemerton Road, Addiscombe, explained to the driver that her buggy couldn't squeeze through the gangway if she got on through the front door.
She asked for the double doors halfway down the bus to be opened for her and 10-month-old daughter Elizabeth instead.
But the driver insisted the rules only allowed wheelchair users and double buggies through those doors – and refused to open them.
She ended up walking to another bus stop to catch another bus.
At the time of the incident, Transport for London (TfL) reiterated the rules the driver cited were correct.
But this week Mrs Marshall received an e-mail from TfL, in which customers services official James Grant told her the policy was being amended.
He told her: "It has become apparent that pushchairs and single buggies have progressively become bigger and wider.
"We are prepared to allow those with wider single buggies to board through the rear doors.
"They should still check with the driver before doing so, and those with buggies narrow enough to fit through the bus should still board at the front."
"This change in policy should mean (your) situation will not arise in future."
Mr Grant confirmed bus drivers would be issued with the new rules in March.
Mrs Marshall said: "It's a good positive response and as you can imagine I am very pleased with the outcome."
28 Comments
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by Sharon, Croydon
Tuesday, February 23 2010, 9:57AM
“I don't believe that Chantelle and her like are knowingly being rude. I think that they are of the generation that rely on their excuses and use those excuses to pass the responsibility onto others. Chantelle purchased a buggie that in all honesty is not suitable for use on buses, yet that is her only mode of transport. So in her mind because companies make the buggies and those buggies are not suitable for public transport then public transport need to make transport suitable to accommodate her buggie. Madness!”
by Sharon, Croydon
Tuesday, February 23 2010, 9:37AM
“Chantelle, I would have thought that considering you rely on public transport you would have purchased a pushchair that was more public transport friendly. Purchasing a pushchair that only folds when dismantled into two pieces is ludicrous if you don't have your own car. You say you've seen the signs so you know there is a chance that you may be asked to fold your buggie. Surely there have been times where you have had to let a bus go by without getting on because the space is already occupied by other passengers with their buggies. There is enough space on buses already for both wheelchair users and pushchairs, you just need to purchase a buggie that can cope with being folded in one motion if needed. Very rarely have I got on a bus and seen the space having to be cleared to make room for a wheelchair user. Yet this space was designed for wheelchair users and allowed to be used by passengers with buggies. What is needed by passengers with buggies is gratitude to the wheelchair user because if it wasn't for them the space wouldn't be there and common sense when purchasing a buggie, this would also result in consideration for other bus user as they wouldn't have to get beaten up every time you try to ram your too large buggie passed us to get to the space.”
by Anon, Anon
Tuesday, February 23 2010, 9:09AM
“Chantelle - You are obviously 1 of those selfish people that have no consideration for other passengers.
As for your comment about why should you go shopping at certain times. Well, no one is stopping you from finishing your shopping at 5pm, just be prepared to wait an hour for a space on the bus. You have no sympathy from me.
When I used to take my son out shopping I would always make sure I left for Croydon after the morning rush hour and make sure I was on the bus before the evening rush hour.”
by Anon, Anon
Tuesday, February 23 2010, 12:20AM
“Not all people in wheel chairs have people with them, some rely on help from others, and also, years ago when my kids were little, we had prams too, but we would choose to walk most of the time, and if we had to travel by bus, we would get something suitable like a small buggy that folded easy, its not rocket science....”
by The3rd, Croydon
Monday, February 22 2010, 5:02PM
“Sharon - you are spot on.
I think that the problem is deep rooted in society. People are just generally more rude now than they were 15 years ago.
I remember when people used to queue for buses. Now it seems there is a free for all. I have witnessed women hair pulling to get onto the bus first.”