Wheelchair passengers have priority over babies in prams, court rules

Doug Paulley, 35, took First Bus Group to court after he was told he could not get on a bus because a mother did not want to move her pushchair as it would wake her baby.

The driver also refused to intervene because the company’s policy did not permit him to force a customer to give up the space.

Following a legal battle lasting 18 months, a judge sitting at Leeds County Court has now ruled the incident was unlawful discrimination in breach of the Equality Act 2010 and ordered First Bus to change its policy.

Mr Paulley, from Wetherby, was awarded £5,500 in compensation and is now seeking to ensure other bus companies also change their policy. He said: “I think public transport is a great thing and I didn’t want to sue them but I felt it was the only way to change things.

“Ultimately, I think it is very sad that sometimes it is necessary to insist that people move and it is sad that it has to fall on the bus company to take action if people refuse. I’m delighted that now drivers will have the power to take action if people refuse to move out of the space.”

The incident happened on a service from Wetherby town centre to the train station in Leeds. When he approached the bus he noticed that the priority space for wheelchairs was occupied by a pushchair which contained a sleeping baby while his mother sat next to it.

“I politely asked the lady if she could fold the pushchair so I could get on and she refused,” he said.

“She said no because her baby was asleep and she didn’t want to wake it up. The driver then asked her to move but she wouldn’t.

“I didn’t challenge her and I was very polite with the driver but I was shocked by what happened.

He added: “The whole experience left my confidence shattered. I avoided catching a bus because I was so worried I’d be faced with the same situation.”