Buses are a pain for parents
Tuesday 17th March 2009, 8:58AM GMT.
LETTER: Shrewsbury has obtained much praise for the wonderful new theatre and impressive statues of Charles Darwin, its great son.
It is a pity our buses cannot claim the same of admiration. It seems mothers with children and people with wheelchairs are not able to use these buses or, if they are, it is with great difficulty.
I am not allowed to enter a bus unless I fold down my pushchair while carrying my baby and shopping bags.
Furthermore, there is no room for me to sit with my pushchair or for that matter, a wheelchair. This is discrimination and in this day and age it is unacceptable.
Do you not think the council should revise its priorities and consider putting the residents of Shrewsbury first, instead of throwing money at grand buildings and statues for the attraction of tourists? What if I had more than one child?
It would be physically impossible to use our buses. The children are our future, and should be facilitated for, as well as the needs of disabled people.
I wonder how the general public would respond to buses being made which only allow access for young mothers and children? Would this discrimination against others not be illegal or unacceptable?
I feel this issue needs addressing as a matter of urgency, as it is far more important than grand gestures. I am not alone in my remarks, as many other young mothers have the same complaints.
We cannot all afford cars and buses are our only means of transport. Something needs to be done.
Abie Foster
Shrewsbury
Shropshire Star on Twitter
Keep updated with the latest breaking news and content on our Twitter feed.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Shropshire Star and Express & Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
Entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new Shropshire Star app
Download the Shropshire Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
shropshirestar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
I know what you mean Abie but the council doesn’t control the buses, maybe you should contact Arriva. Their buses are almost as bad as their trains.
Report abuse
I wouldn’t bother trying to contact Arriva. Both me and my Mother complained via their website and you never even get the courtesy of a basic reply, let alone anything personalised.
Most of the bus drivers wouldn’t help any one in your situation, they just don’t seem to have the people skills any more. Drivers, that is not all of you, some of you are fab but you are in a small minority!
Report abuse
but at least with the trains you can get a buggy onto them. Also what busses is she one about, if she is on about the busses which can be lowered to kerb level, then yes she can just wheel on the buggy if there is space, if there isnt, then driver has the right to tell her to fold it up, the driver is responsible for safety, she can not say its discrimination againest her if there is no space on the bus for a buggy, busses can not carry more than 2 buggies.
Report abuse
A matter of interest which route(s) are you referring to?
Report abuse
The council do have a say, Arriva have to tender to the SCC and SABC to provide the service. Perhaps if there was not free parking at the Shirehall a luxury that those of us that work in the town centre do not have,and council staff had to travel on the busses we would then see an improvement.
How dare you as a resident what to have a view on transport, did they ask you if you wanted a thearte, a sculpture at the top of Mardol and now a second hidiouse one at the bottom of Mardol , think not so how dare you have a view on transport ( happy days )
Report abuse
That’s not discrimination thats just stupid. Arriva operate a vast fleet of low floor buses and eventually the whole country will go low floor to make your needs easier. These are highly expensive vehicles which are bought as piece of mind by large companies and not because they have to in a lot of cases, if anything its discrimation against fare paying passengers who have 4 seats removed so one person doesnt have to fold a buggy.
Report abuse
why is it back in the seventys when my children were toddlers and babys. i managed quite well with my pushchair.with baby,toddler and shoping in tow.
no we had no help from the drivers back in them days.
all pushchairs had to be folded.
they where not the light weight buggies you get today.
they heavy pushchairs made out of steel.
we just got on with it.
it was called part of being a mother..if you cant do the job .dont have kids..
Report abuse
Re Diana’s comments…… Hear Hear.
Report abuse
Diana I agree with you completely I remember my mum struggling with a huge pushchair up flights of stairs to get on a bus – sometimes the driver would help sometimes not but you make do.
Report abuse
With the exception of the 44, which swallowed up a bunch of workable routes under it’s ‘redline’, most buses in Telford have the same problem with access. The 822 and sometimes the 55 run with the right buses – but a huge number of routes do not.
Diana’s comments – we had a lady on our bus (regular user) with special needs and a broken foot for a period of a few weeks. Having seen her struggle on and off the bus each day (causing her discomfort, causing us delay), I think it’s important that this isn’t just about kids. Its about people with other needs too (elderly, injured, disabled) I doubt anyone chooses to be any of those three things – regardless of whether they choose to be parents.
Report abuse
in the 1940′s one had to climb a flight of stairs to reach the interior of a 1930 midland red bus. nowadays low floor buses are available and the front end lowers for easy access and exit. sounds as though arriva need to spend some money. i believe dennis buses are still built in guildford
Report abuse
comments 7,8,9 – ever heard of progress, should we expect people to struggle on just because we did, or should we allow people to voice their opinions on how things can be improved – personally I prefer the latter, and any sensible company wil lcater for the needs of it’s target market in order to ensure it’s longevity – Arriva and those that give them the contracts would do well to listen and react – especially if it wants to encourage the use of public transport as the govmt is oushing all to do.
Report abuse
It is worth noting that ‘The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995′ states that from 1 January 2016 all single deck buses will need top be low floor and all double deck buses from 1 January 2017 onwards if they are used on public service work, however there is the odd exception to this rule. It is worth remembering that the ‘DDA’ compliance is not aimed making buses easier for pushchairs and prams it is aimed for providing accessibility for wheelchair users and those with disabilities.
Report abuse
Diana, back in your day people drove round with kids and adults not wearing seat belts, drinking & driving was the norm and child safety wasn’t the main concern for parents. Good job things change!
Report abuse
stop wingeing and get on with it do as we did and walk to the shops if you had proper puhchairs and not fashion items you might grt somewhere
Report abuse
Diana, I agree entirely. I did the same in the 80′s with a baby in a back carrier,2 toddlers in double buggy and a 5 year old… you just got on with it and were grateful that there were buses. And as for Jeff’s comment about parents concern for child safety … (waiting for lynch mob)!
Report abuse
I live in London (moved from Telford 20 years ago), down here the buses have the slide out ramp for wheel chairs and pushchairs in the middle, extra wide aisles and spaces before the seats for 3 pushchairs, open and with babies in, or 2 wheelchairs, the driver just pushes a button.
Report abuse