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Broken ramps, lack of space ... bendy buses fail the disabled, says charity
Sophie Goodchild, Health Editor05.03.08
London's bendy buses are often inaccessible for disabled passengers, it has been revealed.
An investigation has exposed failings including faulty access ramps, broken stop buttons and lack of space for wheelchairs.
Mayor Ken Livingstone promised the vehicles would be "disabled friendly" when they replaced the Routemaster fleet in 2001. This was a key motivation for scrapping the old-style double-deckers.
But a dossier of evidence compiled by charity the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign brands them "inaccessible" for disabled passengers.
Chief executive Philip Butcher said: "It's all very well to have policies that aim to tackle discrimination on our transport system but the policies must be implemented ef fectively to avoid appalling situations like this happening."
The charity enlisted wheelchair user Nina Shlykova who attempted a daily commute on board the number 29 bus from Holloway Road to Gower Street. She found:
• Broken ramps - she had to wait more than two hours for a technician to be summoned so she could leave the bus safely.
• Poor access - buses should have room for one wheelchair user who has priority over everyone else for the use of this space. Ms Shlykova found there was no space for her wheelchair so she had to let several buses pass before she could board one.
• Faulty bells - bendy buses are equipped with a special buzzer so wheelchair users can alert the driver. Ms Shlykova was forced to shout down the bus to the driver because this was not working.
The Transport for London website states that all London buses have been wheelchair accessible since the end of 2005. But on four days out of five last month Ms Shlykova encountered problems travelling on bendy buses.
She told the Evening Standard: "In a city like London it is easy to get around and be independent for most people but I find it extremely difficult.
"I contacted TfL about the problem a year ago but just received a standard response which hasn't helped me or made a difference to the service.
"Often the ramps will break and so everyone will have to get off and I'm stuck there until someone can come and fix the ramp to allow me off."
Ms Shlykova, who is doing work experience at recruitment consultants Morgan Hunt, travels by bus because it is quicker than using her wheelchair on the pavement. But she has been forced to rethink her journey because of the bendy bus failings.
A TfL spokesman said: "Huge progress has been made in making London buses more accessible and the requirements set out in the Disability Discrimination Act were met 10 years ahead of the deadline.
"We will contact the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign to ask if we can work together to tackle any issues faced by their members."
Reader views (2)
I think TfL is great for giving stock answers to problems it is not solving. I have emailed several times regarding using a baby buggy on the buses; the unhelpfulness and accessibility problems.
Walking is not always an option, and taking cars seems to be against everything Livingstone stands for, which is why its so hard to do so.
I wish there was a charity working for parents with kids that we could turn to.
- Smb, London, UK
I often come down to London and always use the bus. I find the above article misleading, this is one user's experience - yes sometimes the buses fail but I use a power chair and nine times out of ten, I manage to get on the bus I need.
Yesterday for example I could not get onto the no 7 bus outside the British Museum because none of the buses could get close enough to the pavement but that is because there was not enough space for the bus to come close. I do not know about Nina's route but London buses are the easiest to get on - she should try Coventry buses!
- Eleanor, Coventry, UK
