2 strollers per bus

[GingerBeverage]

How many times have you been told you can't get on a bus because there are already 2 strollers on board?
I'd have thought that any analysis of London bus users would highlight that people with strollers are some of the biggest users of the service.
Would it be SO terrible to have a little more space for us, and for wheelchair users?

As a grandmother I think it is great that you can get on a bus without folding the buggy but I think people take it for granted now. In the 70s I had a buggy I could fold one handed, when I had 2 under 3 I would hold one and the buggy and the older one (nearly 3) would get on the bus, often another adult would offer to help either holding his hand or taking the buggy off me. I suppose I was lucky that the older one was well behaved and I could trust him not to run off.

I can't imagine refusing to fold a buggy to allow a wheelchair on, that seems very selfish.

@SleepingStandingUp I would assume that because buggy spaces do not have either a backboard or side bar they are unsafe for use as a wheelchair space. In the event of an accident I wouldn't want to be near an unsecured pram let alone a manual wheelchair or a power chair that is being propelled backwards at the same speed/velocity as the bus was travelling.

@Samcro I'd never thought about 2 wheelchair users wanting/needing to travel by bus together until I heard about this family.

It’s an insurance and safety thing. Also there really is plenty of space for buggies, it’s very rare the spaces are all taken. Either fold down and carry, or wait for the next one. Yes it’s frustrating but at least there ARE such spaces, not everywhere has this yet!

Depends where you live; the spaces are regularly taken around here. Especially on the school run almost impossible to get on the bus.

@PersephoneandHades

Are adults with young children and a buggy meant to get off buses if a wheelchair user wants to get on and there's no room for them? Is that a rule?

What a horrible idea to make room for more screaming children in buggies. Two spaces is enough thanks. And being a busy city, more buggy space would mean less space for commuters. People have jobs and places to go. Also not to state the obvious but health and safety matters. Hence only the two spaces.

Fold the pushchair and leave it in the luggage.

Are adults with young children and a buggy meant to get off buses if a wheelchair user wants to get on and there's no room for them? Is that a rule? Only if they are in the wheelchair space because that is actually for wheelchairs not buggies.

Wheelchair users should have priority over that space - pushchairs should be folded or carry your baby in a sling if it needs to sleep. It’s so rude for pushchair users to commandeer these spaces

Are adults with young children and a buggy meant to get off buses if a wheelchair user yes as far as I know.
Morally it is the right thing to do. You choose to buy an unfoldable buggy, they don't choose to be in a wc.
Please these spaces were originally made for wc users.

Sorry don't know why I included please above. ⏫

@1DoesNotSimplyWalkIntoMordor I mean why not make both sides safe for wheelchairs

there really is plenty of space for buggies, it’s very rare the spaces are all taken I was buggy no1 today, No3 got on next stop and 2 were left behind. No room to collapse and store them. That happens frequently here

What a horrible idea to make room for more screaming children in buggies so we can have more spaces for quiet ones then and much off anyone out of a buggy making loud noises?? more buggy space would mean less space for commuters. People have jobs and places to go. and some of those people have kids in buggies to dump en route. Today we caught 2 buses to the dieticians and two back to school. Monday will be two buses to hospital and two home again. That isn't less important or valid than going to work.

Buggies need to leave wheelchair spaces if they are needed by a wheelchair.
Buggies don't need to need to leave the buggy specific places.
They are differently designed spaces, usually different sizes as well.
places to go. obviously buggy users also have places to go tas I doubt they are joy riding for fun.

@midwest u take my 3 on just to piss off the important commuters, I poke them till they cry then put my headphones on and leave them. Even better if they smell of poo.

I love the way that people are important commuters until they have a buggy with them.
It almost as though the idea of working parents has yet to be invented yet.
Parents just roam crowed public transport with buggies for the sheer joy of the experience.
@SleepingStandingUp I hope you give them messy food to sprinkle and maybe a drinks carton to splash? If not raise your game immediately!

Oooh yeah, I'll give the 4 yo a bottle of coke. Lots of mess and people can judge our dietary choices

* back in the day mothers single handedly folded a quad pushchair with 4 other toddlers and 3 months of shopping and they were happy about it

That was easy though because they just had a brace of 12 Mumsnet chickens and the toddlers could carry three each, no problem.

A whole 6 months of food!!

@SleepingStandingUp I think the cost of adapting existing buses would be too high, around here the the older buses have been mostly phased out over the last 4 or so years so I don't think the bus companies will be heading back to the drawing board to redesign the seating arrangements any time soon.

@1DoesNotSimplyWalkIntoMordor we've had a new fleet in the last few years, it def could have been done in tbe new ones if any of them could be bothered

I think that if it's happening regularly outside of rush hour then there need to be more buses on that route. I see it lots on the 185 around Catford for example.

I never used buses in London for this reason. You can rarely get on with a pushchair, at least where we used to live. I tried it a few times but 5 or 6 buses later with no hope of getting on, I gave up and walked all the way home!! Tube and trains were the only way and even that is a ghastly experience.

They’ve taken the buggy spaces out on the new Edinburgh fleet so count your blessings and yes legally you do have to get off of a wheelchair comes on and you’re in the wheelchair spot (I have done so a few times always very willingly and it surprises me how many people resist).

Yes! It’s more than a rule, it’s the law! To do otherwise is classed as discrimination against disabled people.

I don’t know how it is outside of London but on London buses there is a sign in the wheelchair priority space that states buggy users must move if a wheelchair user gets on.

(There is also a sign next to that one that asks that during busy times buggies are folded so that more people can use the bus, I have literally never in my life seen anyone grace other passengers with such consideration though).

Even if it wasn’t a rule though, do people not just see how cruel it is to stop someone who already doesn’t have the use of their legs from using the bus simply because they don’t want to move their buggy? Some parents seem to act as though their children are actually attached to the buggy and cannot be removed from it; that is until they get to their stop.

Apologies for the confusion, my reply was a reply to @SydneyMamma

Going by your name are you possibly living in Australia? If so, what are the rules regarding this there?