In message , Annabel Smyth
writes
Incidentally has anybody actually seen a wheelchair user on a bus yet?

A couple of times I've taken a wheelchair-bound friend around much of
Central London by tube, moist recently just last week.

Per se, London's wheelchair access on buses is commendable. Indeed,
the first time we took my friend, it was the first time he'd been on a
bus in over 30 years and that added greatly to our enjoyment and to the
"special" nature of the day.

Last week, we repeated the whole exercise with more mixed results. Two
buses had problems with the ramps, both on the 436. The first, at
Marylebone, was able to put out the ramp but not open the doors at the
same time! Accordingly, we waited for the next bus which worked a
treat.

Later in the day, we boarded a double decker on the 436 (this was just
after the fire problems with then bendis) in Parliament Street
(Whitehall) to return to Marylebone. The ramp came out as sweet as a
nut and the doors opened. Great. Unfortunately, the ramp then
steadfastly refused to retract, causing the bus to become stuck there
and necessitating all the passengers transferring to the bus behind.

All the drivers were extremely patient and understanding (and
apologetic) but they gave us the distinct impression that:

9i) People in wheelchairs don't use buses that often

and

(ii) When they do, things tend to go wrong with the equipment.

The fact is, retracting ramps with a lot of moving parts presumably have
a lot to go wrong and in London's heady conditions this must put a great
strain on the equipment, the more so as more disabled people use the
buses.

--
Ian Jelf, MITG, Birmingham, UK
Registered "Blue Badge" Tourist Guide for
London & the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk