I was with my paralysed 83-year old mother who is in a wheelchair hoping to board TfL's SL5 service. When it arrived, the driver got off the bus and said he couldn't take my mother because there was a pushchair in the wheelchair space. I asked him to ask the person to move, the space is coloured blue with a wheelchair logo. There is also a sign (attached). He asked the person who then refused - the driver asked us to get the next bus, saying it wouldn't be long. (It was 15mins.)
I've heard recorded announcements saying (something like) "Please move out of the wheelchair area to make space for a wheelchair. The bus will wait until the area is clear." - the implication is the bus will not move until the area is clear.
What do people think and anyone know the policy? My view is the bus should indeed wait for the space to be clear. Eventually the passenger concerned would then move and know for next time that "wheelchair priority" means that.
I think the driver's approach was totally wrong in the first place - he should have told the PAX to move first. Instead, he asked my mother to get the next bus. (He might have played the announcement - I might not have heard it.)
I've heard recorded announcements saying (something like) "Please move out of the wheelchair area to make space for a wheelchair. The bus will wait until the area is clear." - the implication is the bus will not move until the area is clear.
What do people think and anyone know the policy? My view is the bus should indeed wait for the space to be clear. Eventually the passenger concerned would then move and know for next time that "wheelchair priority" means that.
I think the driver's approach was totally wrong in the first place - he should have told the PAX to move first. Instead, he asked my mother to get the next bus. (He might have played the announcement - I might not have heard it.)