UK: Bus companies ‘not required’ to force parents with strollers make way for wheelchair users

Bus companies are not required by law to have a policy to force parents with buggies to make way for wheelchair users in designated bays on buses, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

The “proper remedy” for wheelchair users to get improvements in such cases is to ask Parliament, three judges ruled.

The judges had been asked to give a ruling following a woman’s refusal to move a pushchair with a sleeping baby from a bay on a bus used by wheelchair passengers.

Lady Justice Arden, sitting with Lord Justice Lewison and Lord Justice Underhill, unanimously allowed an appeal by First Group, which had been ordered to pay £5,500 damages to wheelchair user Doug Paulley, 36, from Wetherby, West Yorkshire.

Mr Paulley was denied access to a bus in February 2012 after the woman with the sleeping baby refused to move.

A judge at Leeds County Court ruled First Group was in breach of its duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people.

 

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