To think it's common sense to let a w/c user have the w/c spot

[SparkyStar84]

I've just seen the ruling on disabled people getting priority in disabled spots on buses. Isn't that common sense. What kind of person would deny a w/c user the space because 'pushchair'?
I'm a w/c user it makes it easier in a way to get about with children, though I know some w/c users still have a buggy.
This is about the parents who refuse to move, when asked, by someone who might have an appt or something important to get too. Not saying the parent doesn't. But isn't that the point of foldable buggies over great big travel systems?
It just bugs me that people have had to leave the bus because a parent wouldn't move. As a parent with kids of many ages, also remembering times gone by, the purpose of easy foldable buggies is that you can decamp when on the bus.
Do you think it's an issue that buses need to provide buggy spaces too?

The New law through might ban Pams from whellchair space's. So it is possible in a couple of years it be unfolded only or not on the bus.

StillRabbit - That is completely out of order for the bus driver to say that. I don't know what part of the country you are in,but where I am (Greater London) I am pretty sure that you would be issued with a transfer ticket to get on the next bus without having to pay again. Admittedly,I have never seen anyone with a buggy get off a bus to make way for a wheelchair user,as the buggy users that frequent my local buses are mostly a stroppy,entitled lot who would refuse point-blank to get off a bus to enable wc user on. I am not saying this to be inflammatory,it is what I have witnessed on quite a few occasions. The drivers just shrug helplessly. The transfer tickets are given out if a bus has to terminate earlier than stated on the front of the bus,this happens fairly regularly on my local bus route. Without fail the drivers will issue a transfer ticket to anyone,who in good faith boarded the bus,then through no fault of their own,find that it terminates before their stop.

bill don't be so dramatic dear I suggested no such thing.

I had a toddler and a baby twice and used a folding double buggy. You can always fold buggies but you need to juggle.

I had a blanket I used to lie on the pavement to put the baby while I folded the buggy. Toddler had reigns.

You manage. You ask for help. You crack on like we all did.

You don't take a disabled space. Never ever.

Equally important Trifle, but not equal in the options available to them. Do you accept yet that the space on buses where you park your pram only exists because disabled people campaigned for it?

Many buses do make plenty of space for prams. I've been on them. During the middle of the day when everybody is at work pram users use buses a lot. Parents also use buses to get kids to nursery before work.

I know I've posted this before, but if a wheelchair user can't get the first bus, the driver should call the next suitable bus to make sure there's room. If there's already a wheelchair or a Trifle then they have to call a taxi at the company's expense. HTH someone.

I am one of these that can't fold the pram and I have dreadful balance so no way I was holding DS- especially as I nearly fell once whilst holding him as a newborn.

So I got off, no issues.

But please, stop suggesting that no bus access for prams would be a good thing. I had PND and had zero help during the day. I can't afford taxis so how exactly was I supposed to go to drs etc?! It's not a race to the bottom.

Expat - That is ridiculous. That would mean that before i passed my test last year i would not have been able to attend any appointments.

In London, the new pricing policy took effect last summer though, so that if you get on another bus within an hour, you don't pay another fee, so perhaps that's why no ticket was offered. You wouldn't get charged anyway.

Yeah, expat. Why not do something that will isolate those most at risk of PND (less wealthy parents of multiples)? The people most likely to have financial pressures which mean driving or online shopping aren't options. Maybe you'll have more suicides, but who gives a shit as long as all those buggies are folded? Who gives a shit that there is the perfectly good option of getting off the bus? Let's just give a group of people who are probably overwhelmingly happy just to get off the bus a damn good kicking just so a load of people it won't affect can feel they are super virtuous.

And no I can't see twins or even triplets are harder than s baby and toddlers. You can fold triple buggies.

It's an excuse to buy massive buggies that won't fold. Don't buy them if you need to use public transport that way you won't inconvenience a person with a disability who needs the space more than you and your baby/babies.

Again no one forces anyone to procreate. It's your life style choice. Having a disability isn't.

My electric w/c doesn't fold so good luck with that notion. It needs a hoist to be lifted its that heavy.

I know there's other w/c using people on here. Are we expected not to have children?

I get the example of guy in a w/c but a few seem to have struggle embracing the idea of a mother in a w/c.

Trifleorbust really?! You have lots of options of what you could do as suggested by a pp. Wheelchair users do not have those options. I find it scary that people genuinely think like you do

This.

Having kids is a CHOICE.

Having a disability is not.

LightTheLampNotTheRat: Of course. But that doesn't mean the people who campaigned are the only people entitled to use it. The principle of accessibility should apply equally to everyone - wheelchair users, blind people, the elderly and yes, people with small children.

for an able-bodied adult with baby/small children to use a bus without access to the wheelchair space can be bloody difficult/require advance planning/involve the help of strangers

for a wheelchair user it will be impossible

Excellent summing up cory but still think some some fuckwits won't be able to take it in.

expatinscotland oh yeah - BillSykes is on a rampage about multiples. Tag - you're it. I've been fielding the rage for awhile. You can take over.

People managed it in the old days. Look at older (60+) females on a bus. They will all tut at a bus.
They still give the tickets out on London buses so that if you were planing on transfering later you dont lose out.

I don't agree on a blanket ban for buggies/prams on buses, that's as discriminatory as some of the disablist comments.
However, a particular passenger being banned from buses for refusing to allow a wheelchair user on, I would wholeheartedly support. It's pretty simple really, don't be a dick and there is no problem. I'm honesty struggling to see why this is an issue.

Let's put it this way, MrsKoala. I was more likely to manage your situation than dd was to learn how to levitate...

Noone is saying your situation isn't hard. But have you put yourself into the situation of someone who can't walk? Can you really not imagine why that might be harder still?

That's what I do Cheshire, I can't fold so I get off. Why should I be banned altogether? It would be much better to issue on the spot fines for non-folders who won't get off than punish all the people who can't fold but are perfectly happy to get off.

The people most likely to have financial pressures which mean driving or online shopping aren't options

Driving is expensive.

But online shopping? The delivery charge is probably less than the bus fare would be.

I saw this elsewhere and think it is very sensible...

Rules of carriage in Edinburgh

3.2 Travelling with young children

Space on our buses is limited. We recommend that passengers who intend to travel on our services with a small child use a smaller, easily foldable buggy.

Buggies including pushchairs and travel systems which will not obstruct the aisle may be brought onto our buses unfolded. Passengers who board with an unfolded buggy must place it in the buggy space whenever that space is available. If the bus does not have a buggy space, or on buses which have one, the buggy space is not available, one unfolded buggy may be placed in the wheelchair space.

In common with all other passengers, whenever the wheelchair space is needed by a wheelchair user, passengers with unfolded buggies must move to make it available. In order to allow a wheelchair user to board, any passenger occupying the wheelchair space with an unfolded buggy should fold it and place it in the luggage rack. Alternatively, they may choose to get off the bus, in which case a receipt will be issued to allow them to complete their journey on a following bus free of charge.

A Warrant is available to people who cannot fold their buggy because they are disabled or the child in their buggy is disabled. If a Warrant holder shows their Warrant to a driver they will not be asked to fold their buggy. This Warrant does not provide any priority over other passengers when boarding.

Where the wheelchair space and the buggy space are already occupied, additional buggies must be folded and placed in the luggage rack on boarding.

Empty buggies must be folded and placed in the luggage rack.

A disabled person would be waiting at the front of the bus for buggy blocker to get off and accept the space is not for them but for a wheelchair and they just occuping it when it's not being used for its purpose. When you unreasonable a bit of gentile abuse is acceptable.

Having children is a lifestyle choice??? Mums should just "suck it up". No wonder rates of pnd are so prevalent in the uk when there is such a shitty attitude to new mothers.