To: National Express, Stagecoach, Bus services in major cities and towns.
Public Transport Access
Allow easy access onto their coaches, single and double decker buses.
Why is this important?
In London most single and double decker buses are able to accomodate disabled passengers by lowering the step or deploying a ramp for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. It has been noticed that a large number of cities and towns outside of London do not seem to have a similar service for the disabled passengers in their communities.
For example: in the Greater Manchester area, where some buses do have a step that can be lowered for disabled passengers, they either do not work or only do so intermittantly, therefore causing disabled passengers with crutches a lot of distress when entering the bus and where wheelchairs and mobility scooters are concerned, where the step cannot be lowered, those disabled persons are unable to travel.
The picture above shows one of the latest buses to be put into service in Germany. If you examine it closely you can see that the set of doors in the middle has a sign for wheelchair and buggy access. This includes a deployable ramp. This design should be a standard requirement on public transport that use roads.
For example: in the Greater Manchester area, where some buses do have a step that can be lowered for disabled passengers, they either do not work or only do so intermittantly, therefore causing disabled passengers with crutches a lot of distress when entering the bus and where wheelchairs and mobility scooters are concerned, where the step cannot be lowered, those disabled persons are unable to travel.
The picture above shows one of the latest buses to be put into service in Germany. If you examine it closely you can see that the set of doors in the middle has a sign for wheelchair and buggy access. This includes a deployable ramp. This design should be a standard requirement on public transport that use roads.
