Accessibility

Website Accessibility

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Vehicle Accessibility 

All buses in our fleet are low floor with step-free entrances to make boarding and alighting easier for everyone. The vast majority also have ramps fitted for wheelchair users.

Guidance for wheelchair users

Each of our buses has a dedicated space for wheelchairs, and the majority are fitted with ramps.

The majority of our buses are dual door with the wheelchair space accessed via the centre doors. To board one of our buses:

• Make the driver aware that you wish to board at the centre doors and that you need the ramp to be deployed.  It would also help if you could let the driver know where you are intending to get off the bus so that he/she is ready to deploy the ramp for you.
• The driver will let passengers off first and will then close the doors - the ramp will only deploy if the doors are closed. Please keep your distance from the doors so that the ramp can be deployed.
• Once the ramp is deployed and the doors have re-opened you can board the bus.
• Manoeuvre your wheelchair so that it is in the wheelchair space and facing backwards, and apply the brake.
• When you want to get off the bus, press the stop button.  The driver will deploy the ramp for you - again, the doors will remain shut until the ramp is deployed. Once the doors are open it is safe to use the ramp.

The maximum sized manual or powered wheelchair that is able to use the wheelchair space is 70cm wide and 120cm long.

Guidance for mobility scooter users

For many years there has been confusion between operators and mobility scooter users as to which type of scooter can safely board vehicles - many are not intended for use on public transport or as manoeuvrable in confined spaces as a standard wheelchair.  Recently, the Confederation for Passenger Transport (CPT) and the Department for Transport have designed a Code that will be standard across the bus industry for the carriage of mobility scooters outside of London.

We have recently signed up to the Code.  The Code is not applicable on our London red bus services.

There is no legal requirement for us to carry mobility scooters, however, under the Code we will agree to carry Class 2 scooters under the following conditions:

• That we have assessed and approved the mobility scooter user's scooter as suitable for carriage.  The approval will cover both the design of the scooter and the ability of the user to control and manoeuvre it safely.
• Approval will be issued in the form of a credit card sized photographic 'permit for travel'.  The permit will contain the conditions of use and the user should show this permit to the driver on boarding the vehicle.  The permit once accepted and issued by one operator should be accepted by all other operators who have signed up to the code.

'Class 2' scooters with 3 or 4 wheels will be accepted provided they are no more than 600mm wide and 1000mm long, with a turning radius not exceeding 1200mm and match the criteria set out above.  The weight of the scooter plus occupant must be within the safe working limit (SWL) of the ramp fitted to the vehicle.  As a general rule the ramps fitted to vehicles have a safe working limit of 300kg.  'Class 2' scooters generally weigh 65kg, leaving 235kg (approx 37 stones) allowance for the occupant.  It is up to our drivers' discretion to confirm that the mobility scooter and occupant are within the SWL for the ramp. 

'Class 3' scooters are larger and are capable of travelling at 6-8mph.  These are not designed to be carried by bus and will be refused for carriage - these can be easily identified as they must be fitted with front/rear lights, hazard warning lights and a manual brake.

Please click here for a recognition guide of Class 2 and 3 scooters.

To arrange an assessment and find out more information about the CPT Code for Mobility Scooters please contact 01293 449191.

Guidance for those with buggies

We welcome passengers with buggies on our buses, our fleet is low floor to help those with buggies to use our services more easily.

If you are being served by one of our dual door buses then please use the centre doors to board the bus.  If you would like the ramp deployed to help you board the bus please ask the driver - please note:  for the ramp to be deployed the driver has to shut the doors. Please stand back whilst the ramp is deployed.  When the doors have re-opened after the ramp has been deployed it is safe to board.

Our drivers are trained to consider all our passengers' safety and to drive as smoothly as possible to reduce the risk of buggies tipping over.  But there is only so much that we and our drivers can do.  We need your help to: when you board one of our buses with a buggy or pushchair, please park it in the space provided, clear of the aisle, and apply the brakes.  For safety reasons you should remain with the buggy at all times, holding it; however smoothly our driver drives, you are still on a moving vehicle  and the actions of other road users or pedestrians can sometimes cause our drivers to have to brake suddenly.

Numbers of buggies on board

We do not set a limit on the number of buggies allowed on our buses as the capacity varies depending on the type of bus, and the type and size of your buggy.  We leave the decision on the safe number on board to the discretion of our drivers, who are best placed to decide.  The driver is responsible for the safety of all the passengers, so please take his or her advice.

We do not want to introduce a policy of allowing a set number of buggies on board a bus at any one time as we may end up turning people away on larger buses where there is clearly room for an extra buggy.

On occasion our driver might ask you to fold your buggy if space is limited.  We understand that this may not be very easy, but if you can, we would certainly appreciate it as it will make room for other buggy or wheelchair users wanting to board.

Wheelchairs wishing to board

As you know, the area where people park their buggies is actually the wheelchair space.  Please can we kindly ask that when requested by the driver - you make space for the wheelchair.  This might involve having to fold up your buggy.  Again, we know that this isn't ideal for you, but the wheelchair passenger doesn't have the option of folding up their wheelchair.

We ask for your understanding in this situation, as our easy access buses are also designed to encourage wheelchair users to use our services.