Bus driver refused me boarding in wheelchair

[MobilityCat]

I was refused boarding again recently but because I now know the law I jammed the door open and told him that I won't move until he let me on. I quoted the law below and he gave up and cleared the wheelchair space for me.

"S24 of the Public Passenger Vehicle Act 1981 states

Bus drivers refusing to allow wheelchair users onto buses where the wheelchair space is either unoccupied or occupied by people who can readily and reasonably move are committing a crime. They can be prosecuted, given a £500 fine and 3 penalty points."

Why was he resisting letting you on?

If you didn't move until he let you on I'm guessing you got on in the end? Or was there a different genuine reason why he couldn't?

I hope you reported him.

Good for you! I think it’s fucking terrible that able bodied pram and pushchair users get priority over the disabled.

Good for you OP well done

Well done OP, I hope the entitled besoms who were blocking the space had to get off and walk in the rain.

Good for you, OP.

Go, OP! Too right he needs to let you on.

And if you haven't, please tell the bus company. At the least it would be an opportunity to ensure drivers know exactly what they should do and the penalty for not.

When you say 'cleared the space' do you mean 'threw people off'?

Make sure you write to the bus company and tell them that their drivers need further training on this issue.

Well done. You shouldn't have been put in this position. It's disgraceful.

Well done OP, but a disgrace that you were forced to do this.

I'd assumed asked them to move seats or fold buggy down if with child.

There's over 150 places to sit on a bus.

And 1 place OP can sit.

Good for you.

This.

Good, I would still report them and advise the bus company of the law as well, even though they know already.
I'm sick of reading about Wheelchair users being denied the space on PT specifically created for them.

I hope the onboard camera was working.

It suddenly won't be....

Yup. Please still report him OP. The next wheelchair user he does this too may not be as savvy as you, it’s absolutely abhorrent to be treated in such a way.

Mind you, I was harassed by an Arriva driver months ago and reported but they’ve not even bothered to reply so what good it will do, who knows. I hate bus companies and the monopoly they have.

There might even be an organisation that would speak to the bus company on your behalf.

E.g. if a taxi refuses to transport a guide dog, Guide Dogs will speak to the taxi firm on the owners behalf and give them training/take it further if necessary.

Anyway, well done, glad you got on board!

I dunno, buses around here (central London) at rush hour are often so rammed that people standing are packed like sardines on the lower deck, and the only way to fit a wheelchair on would be to make 6 or 7 standers get off. Ideally people should be willing to do this and walk or wait for the next bus, but I don’t think standing in the wheelchair space when there are no seats or anywhere else to stand automatically makes someone an “entitled besom” as suggested by a PP.

For clarification, there was a shopping trolley and a buggy in the space. The buggy owner refused to fold and opted to debus, the trolley owner moved out of the way until I was in the space then moved back into it next to me.

@AmeliaEarhart I'm also in London and I completely disagree with you.

Well done for standing up for yourself and qudos for being able to quote the law, I hope you report him