A gran with a rare degenerative disorder claims she was “humiliated and degraded” by a Stagecoach bus driver after a passenger refused to move a pushchair to make way for her.
Karen Robertson has Huntington’s disease – an inherited condition that stops parts of the brain working and can lead to death within 20 years.
At 48, she is determined to hold onto her independence for as long as she is able.
She relies on a four wheeled walking frame, given to her by Ninewells Hospital, to prevent falls.
And since giving up her driving licence due to her disability, she has depended on public transport to get her to and from her home in Invergowrie.
However, Karen says her confidence took a battering after she boarded a Stagecoach bus in Dundee.
She claims a woman with a pushchair was sitting in the area set aside for people with disabilities.
And when the incident escalated, she alleges the driver ordered her to get her “shopping trolley” off the bus.
Stagecoach says it launched an immediate investigation following a complaint and defended the driver’s approach to the situation
But Karen says she was left feeling embarrassed and upset by the encounter.
“I was made to feel humiliated, degraded and pressured to get off the bus,” she said.
“I was made to feel as though my disability did not matter.”
‘Previous incident made me determined not to back down’
Karen says she boarded the bus outside Waterstones in Dundee city centre.
And when she saw the disabled space was occupied, she made her way to a regular seat instead.
However, this meant her walking frame was partially blocking the aisle.
She says the passenger with the pushchair refused to fold it away to make room for her walker.
And she claims the Stagecoach driver then ordered her get her “shopping trolley” off the bus.
Karen, who was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease in 2016, says she stood her ground until the woman with the pushchair eventually got off.
However, she claims she was given a volley of abuse from the departing passenger.
The incident is not the first she has suffered on a Stagecoach bus.
In 2019, she told The Courier she had been asked to give up her disabled seat to make way for a pram.
She said that had made her more determined to fight her corner this time round.
“Before I used to get off or move,” she said.
“But it was dark and cold. And when she said that about my ‘shopping trolley’, I just thought no, I’m not getting off.”
Buses crucial to Karen’s independence
Karen had hoped to go on working for the Scottish Welfare Fund in Dundee until she was 50.
However, she retired due to ill health recently and says she wants to make the most of her time with her young granddaughter and the rest of her family.
“With Huntington’s disease there is a large chance I will end up in a wheelchair and have little to no independence,” she said.
“I continue to use buses and go into the centre and other places to keep up my independence and do as much as I can before my disability fully takes over.”
But Karen says incidents such as last Wednesday’s drama were putting her off using public transport alone.
“Just because I am not in a wheelchair does not make my disability any less valid or difficult to travel or live with,” she said.
Stagecoach responds to complaint
A spokesperson for Stagecoach East Scotland said: “We were concerned to hear of this incident and immediately launched an investigation.
“We are committed to ensuring that bus travel is accessible to everyone and are disappointed that Mrs Robertson’s journey was not satisfactory.
“Our conditions of carriage state that wheelchair spaces can be used by customers if not in use, and that walkways must be clear in order to meet safety standards.
“On this occasion, the dedicated space was in use and the walkway was obstructed, therefore our driver was not able to continue the journey until the walkway was cleared.
“Our drivers receive extensive customer service training, which specifically focuses on disability awareness.
“We take all feedback very seriously and continue to use this to improve our services.”
Conversation