Help Sitemap Home Skip Navigation Contact Us Disability Statement

Stay in Scarborough

Bus firm sorry after Scarborough mum's pram ordeal - COMMENT ON THIS STORY

Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image

Published Date: 20 November 2009
By Martin Herron
A SCARBOROUGH mum says she was left in the cold after being unable to board a bus in the town centre.
Wendy Carter and 14-week-old son Jenson had hoped to get on the Cayton bus after a shopping trip in the town centre.

But the bus that arrived at 1pm had steps, not a low floor, and Wendy was unable to get her pram on board.

She said: "The bus was an old-fashioned one with a couple of steps, so I couldn't get the pram on.

"The driver suggested I fold it up, but I told him it was a pram and wouldn't fold like a pushchair. He made no attempt to help me get it on the bus at all."

The driver told Wendy she could get on the Eastfield bus, which was due in half an hour.

"But when that turned up it had steps too," Wendy added. "Even if I could have got on it I would have had a mile's walk at the other end."

After waiting another half hour, she was eventually able to get onto the next Cayton bus, which had a low floor.

"I was kept waiting for over an hour," she told the Evening News. "That might not sound like a long time, but it was a very cold day and Jenson's only 14 weeks, so I was very worried for him just waiting there on the pavement."

Miss Carter's partner, Mark Watkins, has complained to bus company EYMS about the incident.

EYMS spokesman Bob Rackley, said: "Unfortunately a non low floor bus had to be used on service 1 for one journey to Cayton.

"This was due to an issue with the vehicle used on earlier journeys on the service and no low floor bus was available in the depot for an immediate change over.

"The low floor was put back into service for the following journey an hour later.

"Miss Carter did try to board the bus, but was unable to get her buggy on as it could not be folded.

"The driver did not refuse to carry her, but suggested she came back an hour later for the next service 1 journey to Cayton, or tried an Eastfield service if she was able to walk.

"We haven't got a record of an non low floor bus being used on Eastfield at that time, so we are unable to explain the second incident without further details.

"We regret this incident and have passed our apologies to Mr Watkins."

Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 20 November 2009 9:24 AM
  • Source: Scarborough Evening News
  • Location: Scarborough
 
Prev
1
2 3 4
Next
Last
1

Perspicacious one,

20/11/2009 10:06:44
Well I will say it again and again and again, if you allow one bus company a monopoly on 99% of all routes then you will have to accept whatever krap service they condescend to give at a premium price, of course.

This company are now almost weekly the subject of complaints and there is absolutely nothing the travelling public can do except complain.

However the platitudes from EYMS do nothing to improve the service or give the public a fairer deal, in the case of EYMS you most certainly do not get the service you pay for.

SBC and NRCC should be proactive in looking for another bus company to give this uncaring, overpriced monopoly a run for it’s money, they sure could not be any worse, could they?
2

CrossgatesView,

20/11/2009 10:10:08
Mr. Rackley seems not to have commented on the driver who was too lazy to shift his backside and help his customer !
3

Thewick,

Scarborough 20/11/2009 10:42:36
But what would be the problem with pushing the pram along a paved street for a mile?

As a matter of course, we used to push our children's prams for 2.5 miles into town because we valued the chance for a little exercise.

That aside, if the driver was unwilling or unable to help, were there no other passengers who were prepared to show a little helpfulness and courtesy?

Finally, as this was a non-folding pram, would it have been practical to take it on a bus without blocking the gangway?
4

Sparco,

20/11/2009 12:38:04
I agree with the above, I can't believe that on two seperate bus's that no one would be willing to help this lady on to the bus?? Also, what did people do those few years ago when buses had steps and they had a pram, did they just stand there forever, did they just not have prams or some other reason as I'm sure my parents coped before buses with lowering floors came along.
I also wouldn't expect a bus driver to help me, I would like to think a passer by would though or has this country really gone down the pan that much!
All seems a lot of fuss about nothing really in my opinion!
5

gone fishing,

20/11/2009 13:43:19
Look in the SEN archive for photos of Ladies with prams at Seamer station in the 60's. It was easier to get the train to town and put the prams in the guards van than even contemplate the bus. This was in the days of the big, coach built Silver Cross style prams. They were built like buses, not to go on buses. Now it's the mums built like buses 'cos they get no excercise.
6

jbw,

scarborough 20/11/2009 13:48:49
its not about coping when the driver refuses to let prams on unless the bus has a low floor,and does not offer to help. If you pay for a service, u expexct to get what you pay for, which in this case eyms are not providing the service they are charging for.Iam sure certain views would be different if the story was about an elderly person or some one in a wheel chair, why should a baby be treated differently? and as for narrow minded people commenting on mothers sizes, i dont know if they realise that cayton is not within walking distance from town and that its not the 60's any more, we are in the 21st century and transport and services should move with the times
7

scarman,

scarborough 20/11/2009 14:07:18
I take it gonefishing has no car and walks everywhere, i doubt that, and the reason so many people walked everywhere back in the 60's was because a) they were high as a kite or b) couldnt afford a car / bus fare. Get with the program, the bus service in this town needs a serious shakeup, and more companies including its employees should realise good customer service is what makes you stand out from the rest. A mother and baby is as vulnerable, if not more so, than an elderly person, but as has been said opinions would be very different if this was about an elderley or wheelchair bound passenger.
8

whitepudding,

20/11/2009 14:49:28
If the pram doesn't fit it doesn't fit, what part of customer service exactly is going to change that?

Isn't there an Eastfield bus every 7 or 8 minutes from town, that's how the timetable reads.
9

whitepudding,

20/11/2009 15:03:42
What if it was a low floor bus yet the space was already occupied by another pram or a wheelchair user, it doesn't matter how nice the driver is about it he's still going to have to take the flak.

#6 Surely you're not suggesting the driver took the lady's fare and then told her she couldn't get on.
10

jbw,

20/11/2009 15:23:30
this is not about the pram not fitting, there was space,the pram was refused due to the bus not having a low floor,and why woud u want to get an east field bus when u dont live in east field? and if u have a day or weekly ticket then the fair is allready paid
Prev
1
2 3 4
Next
Last

 

Comment on this Story

 

In order to post comments you must Register or Sign In

 
 
RSS Feed of this article's comments
Delivery formats: RSS, Atom, Javascript & Email
 
 


Sister Newspapers:
Press Complaints Commission

This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then contact the Editor by clicking here.

If you remain dissatisfied with the response provided then you can contact the PCC by clicking here.