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[CatherineMumsnet]

The fact that Lothian buses have decided to ban prams on their buses if they are busy. See here

You don't have to fold down the pushchair unless a wheelchair user wants to board.

The ban is on traditional prams.

And yes, I know how hard it can be to use public transport in Edinburgh with a toddler and a baby - we had no car for most of our time there.

But more often than not, you have to fold the pushchair before boarding NOT because of a chair user, but because another buggy is already on the bus, so if you wanted to get on, you had to fold your chair.

Or wait for the next bus.

You are expected to use a sling or a travel system that can be folded down.

That's what we did when we had a newborn.

I have a double buggy - yes it folds up, but how am i to cope with toddler, baby and folded up buggy? i feel outraged - i will now have to drive to my mum's rather than take the bus, so much for being green eh? I've been travelling on edinburgh buses with a variety of prams fo nearly four years now, and not once has there been a wheelchair user on the bus. and if there had have been, of course i would have got off instantly. i think it is a very heavy handed response to a problem which doesn't really come up very often.

and expat... People don't just use LRT buses to go into town, so perhaps a light pushchair just for the bus won;t be appropriate for where they are going, i go to my mums in the (relative) sticks and have a long walk to get to her house at the other end. i don't want to sound aggressive but i really feel like saying butt out here, you don't live in Edinburgh anymore. (and i know just what your response to this will be...)

Yep, Epxpat, I did that, too. Left my 4 month old on the pavement while folding my travel system to get on a bus having waited for over an hour for a bus that would let us get on.

It was shit. I was in tears. Are you really saying that's reasonable?

People in other cities seem to manage much better. Is there sonmething special about Edinburgh that means it has to assume that parents with kids are optional passengers?

I completely agree with you Firepile.

Robin, would you want to be the bus driver to order the person with the huge pram on the Wester Hailes route to get off because a chair user wants to get on and their pram can't fold?

Because I wouldn't.

I know they don't just use Lothian bus to go into town, because we had no car for years.

We'll be there next week. With no car, a 2.5 year old, a 5 year old with SN and I'm 27 weeks pregnant.

I agree with banning prams that can't be folded down.

Fire, I've had to wait for another bus more times than I can count because there was another buggy on it and I was on my own and couldn't fold it down.

Yes, I think that's entirely reasonable that I either fold it down or wait for another bus.

It's not a taxi, it's a bus.

Oh, here you go again, robin. Uriel doesn't live in Edinburgh, either. Why not target her, too.

Cuz this is getting old.

Firepile doesn't live in Embra, Miaou doesn't, Sobernow doesn't, but becuase I don't agree with you, I get told off?

Okay.

No, it isn't a taxi.

But are you really suggesting that people with children should have to use a taxi if they want to get somewhere in good time when there is a perfectly good bus service for everyone except those unlucky enough to have spawned?

The assumption is that parents with kids have nothing better to do than wait about for public transport.

i agree with expat. some prams really are huge and they do get in the way.

No, nowhere did I ever suggest that.

It's a ban on traditional prams, not foldable buggies. Those can get on - provided there's no other buggy on already - and will only be asked to fold down and move if a chair user gets on.

That sounds reasonable to me.

What you really need is someone official on the bus who can help.
Not the driver obviously, but someone else. Oh wait, we had that once didn't we - the conductor.

I live in Edinburgh. I have DD (7.5) and DTs (4). I get my big shop delivered by Tesco (£5 is worth losing the stress of shopping on buses with kids and buggies/prams). I never, ever, ever, ever took my buggy on a bus - way too much hassle. I took a sling, or i carried my baby or I walked with DD and DT in buggy and other DT in sling. I took company with me if I had to take everyone on the bus.

There is always a way. Edinburgh is not that big. Our bus service is magic but, for me, buggies/prams and buses don't go.

I meant taking shopping on buses, not shopping on buses.

I personally think buggies and prams need banned. I HATE THEM ALL INCLUDING MY OWN

frumpy, you'd better run before the flames get too high!

this already happens in glasgow. if there's no room for an unfoldable buggy you just have to wait for the next bus. because there's No Room.

Aren't people getting a bit het up over not much? Most people I see with kids on Embra buses are using foldable buggies anyway - prams are a tiny minority. I usually use a Buzz, which doesn't fold easily, and DS cannot stand unsupported yet; but I am quite happy to get off the bus if need be, or wait and get the next one if there's no room for us. Happens all the time. My second trip out ever with DS, I had to get off for a wheelchair user - no probs.

I am more worried about the fact they're apparently cutting back on certain LRT bus routes ... but that's another story.

I think it's reasonable to ban prams that can't be folded. I use buses everyday and unfortunately only 1 in about 6 buses on my route are low floor. I've seen bus drivers let people on double deckers with huge stupid prams get on, totally blocking the aisle.

I have a dd (4) and a ds (1) and it's not easy to get on a bus with shopping plus folded puschair plus baby plus child, but it's doable with a bit of sweating.

expat, I have thick skin that I fold on over the other stuff. And when it gets too hot, I just walk with an enigmatic smile like this

I don't want to sound like my granny, but what did people do before buses could even slip down to the kerb?

Pick up thy child and walk!

Before I get arse flamed outta here......why do people struggle on a bus with lots of children and shopping?

i was thinking of buying this pram.

Or be lazy like me, and just wait for the next bus if there's no room. Obv if I'm in a hurry I would suck it up and get folding, but otherwise, I figure waiting around for a bus with space is a reasonable price to pay for DS being comfy in the Buzz where he can sleep properly, and which has room for me to stash the shopping underneath.