Times are a changin’ and attitudes with it. The awareness of equal rights for all is still an important issue in our increasingly conscious society. So a recent ruling by the Supreme Court is being hailed as a forward step.
Doug Paulley, a wheelchair user from Wetherby in West Yorkshire, was unable to access a First Group bus. A woman with a pushchair refused to move to accommodate his wheelchair. Due to this, he won £5,500 in damages against the bus company.
Changing Attitudes
This case, and others like the Paralympic athlete who was forced to ‘wet herself on the train without accessible toilet’, are bringing issues to light. One such issue that many disable people face daily is the ability to access public transport.
First Bus Group’s wheelchair policy was of ‘requesting but not requiring’ that bus travellers make space for wheelchair users. However, a judge at Leeds county court has now ruled that this is discriminatory and not in compliance with the Equality Act 2000, as it doesn’t include reasonable adjustments for disabled people.
Disability is a social issue, and is not the impairment itself – society’s attitudes and environmental barriers result in difficult situations, such as Paulley’s. The Supreme Court’s decision clearly showcases how attitudes towards disability are changing, however.
The Future of Disabled Access
Another disabled man was denied access to public transport 28 times in a year, according to the Guardian. As a whole, our society is now more than ever aware of what people with disabilities face on a daily basis. So it is taking measures to ensure the law can protect them better.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com
An appeal to the Supreme Court’s decision is underway. Judges are being asked to decide whether it should be mandatory by law that wheelchair users should have priority over other passengers. Bus drivers need to know what they are legally required to do with cases like this. So this appeal should help clarify future situations.
Some may believe that the Supreme Court’s ruling was not in the best interests of both disabled people and overall passengers. But decisions like this can highlight the struggles many face when riding the bus.
At UK Stairlifts, we believe that everyone has the right to access, no matter where they are. This is why we provide excellent stairlifts to aid access in the home. Contact us on 0800 046 3438 to learn more about our products and services.