Passenger rights campaign charity, Bus Users UK, has published a new study revealing lived-experiences of disabled bus passengers.

Entitled ‘Why are we waiting? Disabled people’s experiences of travelling by bus’, the report gathers first-hand, personal accounts from across England, Scotland and Wales. It highlights that buses are not accessible to everyone.

Bus Users UK highlights the following key findings:

• Infrastructure – Many bus stops lack essential facilities such as seating or shelter, making it exhausting and painful for some disabled participants to wait for a bus. Obstacles such as heightened kerbs, bins, and bike stands pose difficulties and dangers in accessing and boarding buses.
• Bus design – wheelchair spaces often face away from information displays and there can be competition between passengers for space.
• Information – inconsistent and outdated timetables, contradictory information on apps and at bus stops, and poor and inaccessible or missing audio and visual information on buses have left passengers stranded or forced them to abandon their journeys.
• Bus drivers – the behaviour and attitude of bus drivers significantly impacts the journey, and in some cases even the ability, of a disabled person to travel.
• Passengers – the behaviour and attitude of other passengers can also make or break a journey.

Bus Users UK has made a raft of recommendations in the report, emphasising the urgent need for collaboration between government, transport industry stakeholders, local authorities and disabled people.

The study was funded by the Motability Foundation through one of its user research grants.

“This is an eye-opening piece of research from Bus Users UK” – Chelsea Fleming, Innovation Manager at the Motability Foundation

Chelsea Fleming, Innovation Manager at the Motability Foundation, said: “This is an eye-opening piece of research from Bus Users UK, highlighting the lived-experience of disabled people when travelling by bus. At the Motability Foundation we want to help break the barriers that disabled people face when using public transport, and we hope that the recommendations made in this report help to bring about improvements to the accessibility of bus travel.”

“…buses are still far from fully accessible and this research highlights, in their own words, the many challenges facing disabled passengers”  – Claire Walters, Chief Executive of Bus Users UK

Claire Walters, Chief Executive of Bus Users UK, said: “At some point in our lives, we are all likely to need more accessible transport and buses can provide that, offering independence and enabling people to lead active and fulfilling lives. However, despite many recent advances in legislation, staff training and vehicle design, buses are still far from fully accessible and this research highlights, in their own words, the many challenges facing disabled passengers.

“Why are we waiting?’ makes a vital contribution towards understanding barriers to travel and demonstrates the importance of working with disabled passengers to overcome them. What we need now is a sustained commitment, collaboration, and funding to ensure that bus travel offers a genuinely reliable, accessible and environmentally friendly option for everyone.”

“CPT is working hard to help all its members become fully compliant with the Accessible Information regulations when these take effect this autumn” – Graham Vidler, CEO at the Confederation of Passenger Transport

Graham Vidler, CEO at the Confederation of Passenger Transport, said: “CPT and its members welcomes this report and the lived experience it presents because we recognise the importance of accessible bus service provision across the UK, not least for passengers reliant on buses for their primary or only means of independent travel. CPT is working hard to help all its members become fully compliant with the Accessible Information regulations when these take effect this autumn. It is also working closely with relevant partners to develop better driver training materials more widely, to help improve the experience of all disabled passengers.”