An MP has hit out after saying she and her baby was not allowed on a bus - because two pushchairs were already on board.
Labour MP for Walthamstow, Stella Creasy, attempted to board a London bus with her baby on Tuesday, but was refused boarding by the driver.
Ms Creasy posted a photo on Twitter showing the inside of the bus she was attempting to board.
While two pushchairs can be seen in the space allocated to pushchairs and wheelchairs on the bus, the rest of the bus appears half empty, with plenty of space for another pushchair.
Based on the photo MP Creasy posted, MyLondon was able to geolocate where the alleged incident took place in Chingford Mount, north east London.
Tagging London’s Deputy Mayor of London for Transport, Heidi Alexander, as well as London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Ms Creasy said: “Well that wasn’t fun.
“Just been kicked off an empty bus by a bus driver because there were two pushchairs already on it.
“Surely when the bus is this empty and (has a) large amount of space as you can see it can’t be TfL policy to do this?!”
Her tweet triggered a wave of supportive comments from mothers who have also encountered the same problem.
“I had the same problem 20 years ago. I had hoped that times might have moved on,” said one.
Another said: “Same thing happened to me 10 years ago. Ridiculous rules. Passengers with babies/kids in pushchairs should be prioritised alongside individuals in wheelchairs and buses should be remodelled to be able to take more of these passengers”.
One user also commented saying London Mayor Sadiq Khan “might remind drivers that it is illegal to stop or refuse to allow the transit or transport” of an MP who might be on route to Parliament.
Former Liberal Democrat councillor Stephen Fenwick weighed in saying: “Surely you could've used the old ‘do you know who I am?’ trick to get on board?? I used it many times a few years ago when I was a cllr and got my way.”
But MP Creasy replied, saying: “Would oddly enough never do that but struggling with two children, one extremely poorly, and being shouted at for just getting on a bus is not great. Also it seems bizarre if a bus is not full to demand someone get off - that’s why I want to know if it’s TfL policy?!”
Guidelines on using pushchairs (buggies) on Transport for London buses can be found on the TfL website.
“Drivers should make sure passengers have time to position their buggy safely, and hold on or sit down before moving away,” the TfL website says, asking passengers to “fold the buggy up if it's too wide to fit through the doors and down the aisle”.
The website says: “If you're using a double buggy, feel free to get on the bus at the back exit doors, but remember to check with the driver first.
“For safety reasons and general passenger comfort, move your buggy out of the middle aisle.
“All buses have a wheelchair space available. By law, wheelchair users have priority over the space as it is the only place they can travel safely. When a wheelchair user is not using the space, you can use it on a first come first served basis.
“If a wheelchair user wishes to board a bus, you should share the space, fold your buggy or move. You will not be asked to leave the bus, but you may choose to do so.
“If you wish to board the next bus instead, the driver will issue you a transfer ticket so you don't need to pay a double fare”.
