Driver refused access to woman with motorised wheelchair (From Gazette)

Driver refused access to woman with motorised wheelchair

3:10pm Wednesday 1st April 2009

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A DISABLED woman travelled three miles home in her motorised wheelchair with her grandson on her knee, after she was refused access to the bus.

Ann Sampson was allowed to board the Network Colchester service from the Greenstead estate to the town centre, with Taylor, aged two, on her lap.

But when she tried to get on for the return trip, the 73-year-old, who suffers with rheumatoid arthritis, was turned away.

The Clacton resident, who stays in Colchester during the week to care for Taylor while parents Tom and Nicola Gledhill are at work, said: “I have been basically housebound since October and I was only recently able to buy the wheelchair to help out.

“It was fine on the way to town but on the way back the driver just said ‘no’. I reckon he was just too idle to get off and get the ramp down for me.”

Another Greenstead resident, Gail Schomberg, revealed she had had a similar problem on a hospital trip last month.

Like Mrs Sampson, she was in a small motorised wheelchair, designed to be taken on the bus and used over short distances for shopping.

She said: “I had to change bus several times and had no problems, but when it came to the last trip the driver refused me.

“When I phoned up Network Colchester they were quite short with me, but I couldn’t understand it. The wheelchair is small enough to pick up with one hand.”

A Network Colchester spokesman, who refused to be named, said: “Generally, we don’t take motorised wheelchairs or mobility scooters because of the weight of them and the batteries and so on.

“Due to the batteries they become far too heavy for the vehicles.

“If someone managed to get on with one then perhaps it was a bit of a bonus for them – someone was not particularly paying attention.”

• See also: Bus driver refused to let mum and tot board

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