21-year-old Clare Watson reveals daily battle to board London's buses (From This Is Local London)

21-year-old Clare Watson reveals daily battle to board London's buses

12:25pm Friday 30th July 2010

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A wheelchair-bound 21-year-old today lifts the lid on the nightmare she faces every time she tries to use public transport.

Clare Watson is humiliated on a daily basis by being denied access to buses by drivers who refuse to lower their ramps to allow her on board.

She said: “I’m too scared to go out on my own now. There’s a problem with bus drivers refusing to let me on or just driving past when they see me. I have made five complaints in less than a week as they have refused to put their ramps down.

“It’s a horrible feeling when that happens – you feel worthless and everybody stares. It’s humiliating.

“I don’t want to do it anymore as they drive off, so now mum has to come with me.”

Miss Watson, who has a neurological condition that left her wheelchair-bound four years ago, is dependant on public transport. Although buses are said to be wheelchair-friendly she has found her experience of travelling around the capital anything but.

Transport for London has launched an investigation.

Among the reasons she is given by drivers are: There are buggies in the wheelchair space – but these are meant to be folded up if a disabled person wishes to board; The ramp is not working – although policy is to check them before buses leave the depot; Or they drive past without stopping at all.

And the problems are not just restricted to one bus, there are four main routes that Miss Watson and her mother Santina, 45, of Portman Avenue, East Sheen, use regularly and the pair say they have encountered problems on all of them.

Mrs Watson said: “The 33, 337, 493 and 65 are our main buses and it has happened on every single one of these buses – it happens on a daily basis. We have been standing waiting for the doors to open and they have just driven off. Very often members of the public have to intervene.

“We told Transport for London (TfL) and they were great, very supportive, very considerate and very apologetic – they don’t want this from their drivers either.”

She added: “In the beginning Clare had a really good positive attitude about getting about, but her confidence has just been shattered because of the amount of times she has had problems.”

London United, which operates three of the bus routes close to Miss Watson’s home, said it was investigating the matter.

A spokesman said: “London United takes complaints of this nature very seriously. We are conducting a full investigation into the incidents raised by the passenger and will take appropriate action once all of the information is available.”

Arriva, which operates the fourth route, said drivers received regular training and the company was confident it was providing the service it was supposed to.

Colin Atkins, managing director of Arriva London, said: “The buses are there to offer a service and a lot of investment has taken place to offer an inclusive service.”

London Travel Watch, the transport watchdog, said bus drivers failing to pick up disabled passengers was a problem. A spokesman said: “It is something that concerns us. We know it happens and it happens too much. Where it does happen people must try and report it to TfL.”

A TfL spokesman said it took the issue of accessibility very seriously. He said: “Wheelchair ramps are not an optional extra on London’s buses – they must be working before a bus leaves its garage. We expect all London bus drivers to be helpful and polite to customers at all times.

“We will therefore work with the bus operator to carry out a thorough investigation into this incident.”

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