paying for buggies on buses

Gingham_Ribbon

Someone needs to get a protest going. There was a small march here recently when some services were cut and non buggy friendly buses were put on busy routes. This left several parents unable to get out and about. They staged a protest and got the local paper to publish it. I think the bus company back tracked a little, though not much. Still, it was worth it.

Contact local baby/toddler groups and clinics and your paper and see what happens. It would be a DISGRACE if this was allowed to happen.

WestonDave

Is this the First group bus service (I know they run some services in Plymouth) or another local independant - if its the former then lots of us may be affected by this if they choose to roll it out nationally. I'd be a little surprised if it was First but if it is it might be worth contacting head office because it might just be a regional aberration that head office will slap back into line especially if there is bad publicity going!

moo842

it is first, but i have just rang there head office who have said that the drivers have it wrong and that it would be grossly unfair to charge passengers for buggies!
i hope thats right

inkie

I think that I would be tempted to put it it writing to the company - that way you will have a letter back stating the facts.

Anniek1969

My DH is a driver with First and he hasn't mentioned anything. I don't think it would be good for business if they did. Will ask him tonight if he has heard anything but I think he would have mentioned it to me, unless they've not bothered to tell everybody yet.

Crazychik

Thats darn right outrageous - they will loose out on customers if they charge for buggy's. My uncle is a bus driver for TM Travel in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, and he's not heard of it.

singlehouseholder

crispeater wrote:

havent heard of it in sussex. bloody cheek if they do, buses for years and years havent charged for buggies. i can understand if its got 10 year old capable child in it lol

Whats even more infuriating is woman with buggy gets on bus, then gets kid out and sits it on a chair. That is taking liberties!!

Whits

misty wrote:

that said not many of the buses cater for pushchairs that left up and those that do will only let on 1 pushchair or wheelchair - even though there is room for 2 or 3 !

The firms I've worked for have always left it up to the drivers discretion as to how many pushchairs are allowed on board, but we were told that in the eyes of the law, a pushchair would be classed as a wheelchair and therefore only 1 is allowed on.

SammyD_2

This really gets by heckles up! Sick to death of the "we all should live without a car brigade" telling me how bad I am because I drive, then stories like this come out. It is like the signs at the bus stops that say people with buggies should be ready to fold them. Ummm, I guess the person who wrote that sign has never tried to fold a buggy with a toddler, small baby and a load of shopping while standing on a busy road and a queue of "tut tutting" people behind.

It really is ridiculous to charge for buggies. Why can't we have child-friendly policies and be a bit tolerant for once.

Sorry for the rant, but I do get tired of feeling like children are just a "problem" to our society rather than something to be cherished for the benefit of everyone!

Savvy_Sue

Sounds like the driver was winding the OP up, probably just a joke ...

Like the guard at Paddington who said I couldn't use my ticket on the train I was about to board at the end of an exhausting day in London, I groaned but as I looked at him I could see he was joking. Sorry, but I didn't find it very funny! :mad: