Driver 'refused' to take disabled woman on Navan bus

A NAVAN woman with severe disabilities was left stranded and frighened in the centre of Navan when a driver operating the town bus service refused to take her home because she hadn’t booked the bus.

Mossie Forde, a well known local author and wheelchair user, says she was panicked and upset as she didn’t know how to she was going to get home and had difficulty finding alternative transport.
She was also very embarrassed at the way she was treated, as there were people she knew on the bus.
She lives in Bailis, Athlumney and travels into Navan town centre every Wednesday to visit the library and attend a local book club.
Her sister Delia explains that Mossie does this every week and has never had to book.
“She would ring in advance if she wanted to get a bus to Dublin, but it has never been necessary to book the town bus and she uses it regularly and always on a Wednesday.
Mossie was across from Navan Town Centre, waiting for the bus home  on Wednesday evening 5th October, when one came along.
The driver asked her if she had booked and when she said no, he refused to allow her.
“It was an accessible bus, so here was no reason I couldn’t get on,” says Mossie.
“I was panicking and embarrassed. I didnt know what I was going to do.”
Because of her disabilities, it was difficult for Mossie to get help, but a taxi driver came to her assistance. Although his cab wasn’t accessible, he ensured that a driver with an accessible cab came along and brought her home.”
“It was a frightening experience to be left stranded in the centre of town.”
Mossie had never had a similar problem before and always loved getting the bus which was convenient.
She has since been told that the regular bus had broken down and a different bus was sent out as a replacement with a different driver, but she says the replacement bus was wheelchair accessible.

A spokesperson for Bus Eireann said there are two single deck, fully accessible buses dedicated to the Navan town service.  These vehicles are not used on any other route. These vehicles have a ramp and are low floor vehicles similar to those operated by Dublin Bus.

'Unfortunately on this occasion, one of the wheelchair accessible buses was off the road undergoing planned routine maintenance, and the other suffered a mechanical breakdown resulting in both buses being unavailable for this service.

'In such a situation, the company would send a coach rather than a city bus to ensure the service is not cancelled, however these coaches are used on routes which require seats be removed in order for it to be wheelchair accessible and require booking of 24 hours in advance.

'This booking is required to ensure seats are removed from a single-deck coach to facilitate the wheelchair and that only one wheelchair is booked on a particular service, i.e. only one wheelchair can be accommodated on a coach. This reservation system is a common practice across other EU countries.

'Bus Éireann would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to customer on this occasion,' she said.