Member

Shockingly, this means that, for the first time since the passing of the Equality Act 2010, disabled people would have the basic right to access public bus services. Currently, the power rests with bus companies and the only regulation gives the power to the driver to remove people from a bus who do not move to give space to a wheelchair user or another disabled passenger requiring a seat. Don’t get me wrong—that power for a driver is absolutely necessary, because it should never be up to the disabled passenger to have an argument with other passengers and say, “I think you should get off the bus”. But still there is no power under the PSED for disabled passengers to be able to access public bus services. This is also about access to bus stops and ramps, as well as to audio, digital and visual messages on buses. The onus would then be on the bus company to ensure that their buses have working ramps and that floating bus stops, and ordinary bus stops too, are safely designed and that disabled passengers on buses know where the bus is going—and that is one reason why I have signed the amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Holmes. My amendment would also support his amendments.