Wheelchair user frustrated by bus trips
Christchurch wheelchair user Carolyn Fletcher, 72, is using buses again after a break of about three years.
When new buses were introduced with an aisle too narrow at a point just past the driver she complained to the bus companies but gave up in the end.
She has been forced to spend ‘‘a small fortune’’ on taxis instead.
CCS Disability Action regional access advisor BJ Clark recently initiated a meeting with representatives from Environment Canterbury (Ecan) and bus operators to discuss reports of problems accessing buses.
He said the problems he was hearing from Canterbury bus users included drivers not stopping for people in wheelchairs, ramps that don’t work, drivers saying they don’t know how the ramps work, and chair seats that won’t fold up.
But bus companies said they were working to fix the issues, so when Fletcher heard things had changed she decided to give the buses another try – and found to her delight she could use them again. But it is not plain sailing.
On a return trip to the Merivale Mall with The Press Fletcher experienced the best and worst of bus travel.
On the way, the driver happily put out the ramp and Fletcher wheeled her way in to the ‘‘priority seating’’ space.
‘‘I love the height, being able to see out and just being able to get to places easily.’’
The return trip was almost aborted when the seats in the accessible space got stuck.
As Fletcher sat in the aisle, passengers jumped to her aid and attempted to pull the seats up. Eventually the driver came to help, but she too could not budge them.
In the end Fletcher was able to manouevre herself far enough in to the space despite one chair still down, for the bus driver to continue.
ECan public transport manager David Stenhouse said 10 buses from the fleet of about 240 buses did not conform to the national standard for urban bus quality which included a requirement to be wheelchair accessible.
‘‘It is expected that through fleet replacement these buses will be removed from service within the next two years.’’