The Mayor of London will soon be hearing about access problems facing wheelchair users on Ilford buses following a recent visit to Ilford by Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson and Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee.
On Wednesday (16th December) Caroline took up an invitation from Councillor Shoaib Patel to visit Ilford and find out at first hand some of the specific problems facing wheelchair users in using local buses, with a detailed briefing provided to her by wheelchair user Max Reid.
The issues raised with Caroline Pidgeon and Councillor Patel included ramps frequently not working or being too steep and also the lack of space on some buses for wheelchair users. Caroline Pidgeon and Councillor Patel also heard about the unhelpful attitude of some drivers towards disabled bus passengers.
Following the visit Caroline Pidgeon has promised to raise all the issues raised in Ilford with Boris Johnson through a series of written questions at the next Mayor’s Question Time in January.
After her visit Caroline Pidgeon said:
“I am really grateful for Councillor Patel and Max Reid briefing me on these issues. Buses by law should be accessible for wheelchair users so it is an absolute disgrace that such basic access problems repeatedly take place. Disabled people should not be treated like second class citizens every time they wish to make a bus journey.
“Both Councillor Patel and I are especially concerned that some of the problems appear to be due to inadequate staff training and lack of proper procedures in place, such as checking whether the ramps on buses actually work before they set out of a bus garage. I fear these are problems facing wheelchair users not just in Ilford but across the whole of London.
“Boris Johnson is the Chair of Transport for London so it is only right that all these issues are brought to his attention and he is forced to explain how he intends to address this scandalous situation. It is my New Year’s intention to do exactly this!”