Bus access
From Susan Quick
Saturday, 8 June 2013
Today I travelled from Mytholmroyd on the 11.14 594 bus to Todmorden.
An elderly lady using a walking frame got off the bus at Hebden Bridge station. The driver did not lower the platform. I don't know how she made it to the pavement.
We've got excellent new buses with platforms that lower to provide full access. Yet I think I've only ever seen the platform lowered once, or was it twice? I've seen wheelchair users lifted off by carers, mothers with buggies lifting them off whilst trying to make sure the child doesn't fall.
Why is there no policy to use the access facilities? I was very excited when they first arrived. I walk with a stick because I have poor balance; sometimes I push a shopper on wheels. A female driver once offered to lower the ramp so I could get off. That's the only time. Lifting a heavy full shopper is no joke.
I will write to the bus company. Why don't you write too?
From Dave J
Sunday, 9 June 2013
Susan, it's great that we have accessable buses but if you want the ramp to be lowered, can't you just ask the driver to lower it?
From Dave R
Monday, 10 June 2013
Susan, I am a regular bus user and have taken my mother who is a wheelchair user on many buses.
My experience is always positive. If I need to, then I do as DaveJ says and simply ask the driver to lower the access. Most of them do it anyway and
I see lots doing so for buggy users too. A driver cannot always see that a passenger has a shopping trolley as this is often dragged behind.
Rather than asking people to criticise a service per se, why don't you approach disabled user groups for their experiences and see if it is a common problem?