[SPLIT}Disabled access on Buses(was How to Take the Bus)

Can anyone tell me if the buses in UK, especially in London, are wheelchair accessible such as the one in US? I.e. in North California, most of the bus have built-in under-carriage elevator to lift up the wheelchair.

Can anyone tell me if the buses in UK, especially in London, are wheelchair accessible such as the one in US? I.e. in North California, most of the bus have built-in under-carriage elevator to lift up the wheelchair.

Not all buses, but a lot of newer ones are.  This might be a useful link for you:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_mobility/documents/sectionhomepage/dft_access_page.hcsp

They certainly are in London - can't say for the rest of the UK, the buses are weird everywhere else.

Disabled access was one of the excuses to get rid of the famous "routemaster" buses.

Another bit of advice if you are going to stay in London for more than few weeks is to get an "Oyster Card" (https://sales.oystercard.com/oyster/lul/entry.do).

Its a pre-pay card which you touch against  a sensor on the Bus (or entrance to Tube, DLR or Tram stations) and it deducts the cost of the journey from your balance.

It's a lot cheaper than paying - a "peak time" bus journey, when paying cash is £1.50, it's only £1 with the Oyster.

Makes you feel like a proper Londoner too......

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/buses/travelinfo-accessibility.asp#wheelchair

This site has all the information you need on getting around London by wheelchair.  It will tell you which buses are wheelchair accessable (all of them!!!) and which tube and rail stations are wheelchair accessable.  It also has information on Dial-a-ride services and taxi priority schemes for wheelchair users.

If you live in London you should also be entitled to a Freedom Pass http://www.freedompass.org/ which gives free bus travel.  I can't say for sure if non-UK nationals are entitled to them, but I suspect you would be if you are a permanent resident.  If not, I can't see drivers charging you anyway.

Vicky

Thanks for all the info, guys! I'll definitely check those links.

Update - a new guide for travel around London for disabled people has been published by Transport for London.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/press-centre/press-releases/press-releases-content.asp?prID=1079


Vicky

I live in Bristol, so can't really comment for the rest of the country, but all the buses here have ramps that can be lowered by the driver.

London buses are not bad, however were I am if you can got on to stop and get onto it its how you get them to let you off at the other end in one piece, I have had some really nightmare times trying to get a bus here either the buses do not lower enough or the ramps do not work or the most common are the bus drivers will not stop and you get left stranded.

The good ones are great you just have to make sure you know when they are driving.

Can anyone tell me if the buses in UK, especially in London, are wheelchair accessible such as the one in US? I.e. in North California, most of the bus have built-in under-carriage elevator to lift up the wheelchair.

As a mom with a child still in a stroller, I'm glad to learn that London busses are all wheelchair accesible--the underground is not completely.  Next time I go in, I'll try using the bus a bit.

Outside London, it's going to vary a lot.  Check before you travel. Not just a general call to the bus company where you are going, ask about the specific route.

We just moved out from a town which was mostly accessible busses, at least on my routes, to a village which is not served by accessible busses.  Nor is our train station accesible.  I've recently learned from another mum that she usually stays on the train and gets out at the NEXT village, pushes the stroller down the ramp, across the tracks, up the ramp and takes the next train back into our village in order to get off on the street side of the station. (the other side is against a hill, so stairs either over the tracks or up the hill to the road).  Sounds a bit troublesome but I'll have to try it soon.  And go to the town planning meetings and insist the station be brought up to date for the sake of wheelchair users and mums.

I live in Bristol, so can't really comment for the rest of the country, but all the buses here have ramps that can be lowered by the driver.

Most of the buses here in Coventry are the same. 

It is a Legal requirement in this country for public transport to comply with DDA
so all buses and trams must accomodate people with disabilities.

you will still find some buses before a certain age not to be fitted with ramps but you will find the driver will lower the bus and offer you help if required.

hope this helps you out. The reason for knowing DDA is I deal with fire alarms and everything must comply to DDA

This thread is quite old, but just because buses are new doesn't mean the driver doesn't have to get out and get a ramp.

I was shocked on Friday, when the driver had to use a ramp on a bus that is less than 3 years old.  It does lower, but I guess not enough.

Also, just because they can let people on wheelchairs on, doesn't mean if the bus is crowded that they do. 

Not an issue with the bus I get at the start, but the other bus in my area is often full by the time it gets to us and if there are more than 2 strollers they don't let any more strollers or wheelchairs on. 

I'm pretty sure most public transport around the country these days is accessible for disabled people.  I noticed a sign on a local bus in Durham the other day... apparently, if the bus that arrives doesn't have that low-loading system for wheelchairs, the driver will arrange for a taxi to come and take you to any destination on that bus route at the bus company's expense

Maybe they do that here, but they don't advertise it.