Buses
The Regulations
Buses which carry more than 22 passengers come under the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (as amended).
When from?
Since the end of 2000 all new buses used on local and scheduled services have had to meet these regulations, except smaller single deck buses which became wheelchair accessible from 2005.
The speed at which older buses are being replaced by new accessible buses varies from area to area and from route to route. Buses are sometimes switched between routes so the proportion of accessible buses will also change from time to time.
However all single decker buses will be accessible by 2016 and all double deckers will be accessible a year later.
New buses
What you can expect
Doors
Low floor buses have ramps. In towns they are often powered and worked by the driver. In the country, ramps may have to be unfolded by hand by the driver. Ramps slope no more than 8 when resting on the pavement. Buses with higher floors will have lifts.
Doors are at least 800mm wide, and gangways at least 750mm wide. Floors inside will be flat or the slope will be no more than 5 in the doorway area and 3 elsewhere.
Wheelchair space
There is at least one space for a wheelchair user. It is at least 1300mm long by 750mm wide, with headroom of at least 1500mm. You may need to manoeuvre your wheelchair back and forwards to get into the space. It has a vertical pole and other grab rails which you can use to steady yourself while travelling. The wheelchair space may have a folding seat which other passengers can use. The seat will be easy to fold up, even if you have impaired movement or strength.
In most buses you sit facing backwards. There is a padded backrest to stop you tipping, shaped so that the wheelchair's handles and wheels should pass on either side of it. You don't have to secure the chair or wear a seat belt.
A few buses have wheelchair spaces in which you face forwards. The driver needs to secure your wheelchair in these. They normally use webbing that hooks on to the frame of the wheelchair and is then tightened to hold the chair in place. Fixings may vary slightly from bus to bus but they are easy to use and instructions will be on hand. The driver should check that your wheelchair is properly secured and will help you fasten it down. These buses also have seat belts.
Bells
The bell push can be worked by the palm of the hand. There will be one in reach of the wheelchair space.
Handrails and handholds
There are vertical and horizontal handholds at appropriate places. Entrances and exits have rails on both sides.
Route and destinations
These are shown on the front, side and back of the bus. They can be easily seen - route numbers are at least 200mm high and destinations are shown in letters at least 125mm high in front and 70mm high on the side of the bus.
Pre-DDA buses
What you can expect
Some buses have lower steps, easy to grip handholds, non-slip floors and bright lighting. Many have easy to use bell pushes and clear stopping signs. There are seats for older and disabled people. Some larger towns have low floor buses, although not all of them are accessible to wheelchair users. Those that are have a ramp.
Help
Within reason, drivers will help a disabled person get on or off a bus. A few bus companies have helping hand schemes - volunteers who help you on and off or even travel with you for the journey. Having someone on hand to help can be very useful on buses which are not wheelchair accessible if you can get out of your wheelchair and if it is a type which will fold. Contact your local bus company to see if they can help.
next page: Coaches