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If anyone is interested, the appeal by First Group was granted meaning buses cannot force non-wheelchair users out of chairs reserved for wheelchair users:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-30376446
However, Mr. Paulley is raising an appeal with the Supreme Court to have the appeal overruled, which is where the real fight comes from.
The responsibility should absolutely not be on bus companies to ensure that spaces are made available for wheelchair users and if somebody refuses to move there's nothing that can be done. Why the bus company had to cough up damages is beyond me, it's not remotely their fault and the woman was within her rights. This isn't something that can be tackled within the courts because it involves valuing one person's experience above another's. Only way to sort this is to cater for both, by making buses bigger and designating space to each party. Or maybe we should have buses specifically for disabled people to get around. Wait, don't they already exist?Quote:
Originally Posted by GommeInc
I feel bad for disabled people for not being able to properly participate or go about their daily lives but at some point a compromise has to be made. :/
~~from phone
It's a tricky area. You can see why the courts have been involved because what is the limit and the compromise? It ultimate lies on simply doing the right thing - the woman should just have moved in this situation as she wasn't hindered in any way and couldn't easily move given the facts of the scenario (her son was on her, sleeping - just wake him and move). The bus cannot and shouldn't play mother and move people around as it wastes time and they are just adults too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kyle
I definitely think buses need to accommodate more people. The end first third could be almost open planned with only pull down seats for both wheelchair, walking stick, pregnant and buggy users. I'm surprised buses do not have storage these days for buggies - I swear they were a thing once :/