The efforts made by Reading Buses to help disabled people have been highlighted by the company’s CEO.
Robert Williams, the chief executive officer of Reading Buses, mentioned what the company does to assist people with physical and hidden disabilities at a meeting of Reading Borough Council’s access and disabilities working group.
He said: “We have screens, we have audio announcements, and that has been the case throughout our fleet for a few years now.
“We have our printed information, which is also important, we spend time and energy keeping it up to date.
“Other bus companies have done away with printed information, but it’s still important for a wide variety of reasons. It helps with wider accessibility.”
To assist the elderly and wheelchair users, the Reading Buses fleet has had lower floors since 2008.
If a wheelchair user needs to get onto a bus, the driver will assist them on and off using a manual ramp.
Mr Williams said: “London buses have electric ramps, but we find the manual ones are more helpful for customers.”
It is a legal requirement for a bus that carries more than 22 people to have at least one wheelchair space.
Around half of the double decker fleet has two wheelchair spaces, with one dedicated space and one that is mixed use for pushchair users or three regular bus users.
The buses are also fitted with dedicated bells for wheelchair users in these spaces to inform the driver when they are leaving.
There are also priority seats. On double-deckers, more able-bodied people are encouraged to go upstairs, and can see a screen giving them an idea of how many people are there.
Mr Williams said: “We don’t charge for guide and assistance dogs.
“We’re a people company rather than just a bus company. Having a customer focus is where we start our recruitment.”
He also mentioned Safe Journey Cards to indicate what help people need, stating the disability the person has so drivers can understand they require more assistance.
These can be acquired online, by contacting the company, or from the Reading Buses shop in Broad Street Mall.
Even mobility people with scooters can use the bus, but require trial runs at the bus depot in Great Knollys Street to determine suitability.
During the meeting, a woman said that her bus stop doesn’t have seats or a shelter.
Replying, Mr Williams said: “We’d love to have seats, shelters and screens at every bus stop. We’ve prioritised that with the council. It’s about choosing and prioritising.”
Meanwhile, Teresa Collias mentioned the clashing priorities between school pupils and hospital patients trying to get home at the bus stop for the main entrance of the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Craven Road.
She said: “It seems to be a choc-a-bloc for the bus stop at the hospital, particularly during school times.
“Could there be an extra bus or something? You’ve got people who’ve got to be at hospital from 9am to about 5-6pm.
“It just got to a stage where it was difficult.”
She then mentioned that a man who was in a wheelchair as an amputee struggled to get onto a bus.
Mr Williams replied: “I’m happy to have a closer look at that.”
The presentation was held at the meeting on Thursday, September 24.
