Conditions of carriage
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Public Transport for the Disabled & Infirm
EYMS Group Ltd Policy Statement
Policy
EYMS Group Limited provides a network of local bus and coach services, through its subsidiaries East
Yorkshire Motor Services Limited, Finglands Coachways Limited and Whittle Coach and Bus Limited, in Hull,
the East Riding of Yorkshire, the southern part of the County of North Yorkshire, South Manchester,
Worcestershire and Hereford.
The company recognises the need to move as quickly as possible towards providing easily accessible
transport for all, whilst acknowledging that for people with certain types of physical disability special
arrangements will sometimes be required that cannot be provided by any commercial bus operator.
Since privatisation in 1987, and especially since coming under sole ownership in September 1997, it
has been the Group's policy to maximise its investment in new buses in order to replace the oldest and,
therefore, the least accessible buses in its fleet at the fastest rate possible.
This reinvestment has gathered momentum with the purchase of 200 new buses worth £21.5 million, in
seven years from 1999 to 2008, all built to new low-floor easy-access standards and with full
wheelchair-accessibility. Additionally, a further 24 accessible buses have either been bought secondhand
or converted from earlier models. Thus 224 fully accessible buses are in service out of a total local bus
fleet of 350 across the three companies, with more likely to be ordered for 2009.
Partnerships with local councils have resulted in many bus stops on these routes being modified with
raised pavements to maximise the benefits offered by the low-floor buses.
The Group recognises the need to continue this vehicle investment programme at least in line with and
preferably ahead of the Government requirement that all buses on local routes should be fully
wheelchair-accessible by 2015.
However, this investment policy has to be tempered by commercial and operational considerations.
Since in nearly every case their design makes them impossible to modify to allow wheelchair access,
buses bought before accessible designs were introduced in 1998 will have to remain in service until the
end of their useful life (usually around fifteen years) unless substantial external funding is made
available to allow premature replacement of buses that are not life-expired. An accessible double-deck
bus costs up to £165,000 and single-decks cost up to £130,000 (at 2008 prices).
Fully wheelchair-accessible buses cost more and seat fewer passengers than equivalent 'conventional'
buses. In most cases existing EYMS Group buses are operating to capacity at peak periods. Reducing this
capacity by replacing existing buses with vehicles seating fewer people means that passengers are left
or that costs will be significantly increased through having to increase timetable frequencies. Apart
from the cost, the practicality of introducing more buses to improve frequencies is difficult because
of problems in recruiting drivers.
EYMS Group also recognises that until all bus stations are fully-accessible and all bus stops throughout
its area have been modified to include extended/raised pavements (bus boarders) with appropriate and
properly enforced parking and loading restrictions, the full potential benefits of fully-accessible
vehicles will not be realised, reducing the benefits of the company's significant investment.
Many bus stops now have raised pavements built by the local councils, but until action by local
authorities and enforcement agencies guarantees proper access to all bus stops along a route, many of
the advantages of wheelchair-accessible buses are lost. Passengers in wheelchairs boarding and alighting
from buses other than at the immediate kerbside present additional access problems because of height
differentials and cause traffic problems because buses remain in the main carriageway, potentially
blocking other traffic for longer than necessary. Unless correct ‘docking’ with the raised pavement is
possible, wheelchair passengers can take longer to board and alight, largely because of the time taken
to operate the necessary entrance ramps where close ‘docking’ with the pavement is not possible. As well
as the infrastructure work, proper enforcement to keep bus stops clear of parked vehicles is vital.
The company will continue to press local authorities for many more properly constructed, protected
and policed bus stops so that access for existing passengers can be improved and access for passengers
in wheelchairs made possible on more routes. The company will actively promote the introduction of
Quality Partnerships with all local authorities in whose area it operates in order to gain commitment
to these objectives and enable quicker and more co-ordinated progress.
EYMS does not advertise wheelchair-accessible buses on any route until there are sufficient buses
in the fleet to offer a guarantee that at least 95% of journeys on the route will be operated by this
type of bus. Major difficulties would be caused for passengers in wheelchairs on less frequent routes
travelling to a destination by an ‘accessible’ bus but unable to make the return journey because another
type of bus had been provided.
Staff Training and Customer Care
During their induction training all staff, and particularly drivers, are made aware of the needs of
people with mobility problems and those with hearing and speech impediments, etc. Induction training
and subsequent in-service customer care programmes are all designed to highlight the need to quickly
identify such passengers, make due allowance for them in the most discreet way possible, and render such
assistance as may be necessary in individual cases. Whenever necessary direct assistance in disability
awareness training is sought from Disablement Action Groups or their equivalent.
Group Travel
In the mid-1980s EYMS converted a bus specifically for use by groups which included up to eight passengers
in wheelchairs. Whilst this bus was not intended for use on regular local bus services, it was available for
group travel and incorporated a ramp and purpose-built interior wheelchair security fitments. The
availability of this bus was widely advertised amongst groups interested in or catering for the disabled
but it was hired only infrequently and was not profitable. Nevertheless, the Group will continue to monitor
the need for this sort of vehicle for group travel and will consider buying or modifying a similar vehicle
if it feels that there is sufficient demand.
Summary
- The Group fully recognises the need to make all its transport and public offices fully accessible
wherever reasonably practicable and as soon as circumstances permit.
- Investment in new local buses will continue to be maximised and all new buses will meet or exceed
the standards laid down by the Disability Discrimination Act for wheelchair-accessible buses. The
company intends to achieve the target for all local services buses to be fully accessible earlier than
the Government’s deadline of 2017.
- Induction and in-service training for all staff, especially drivers, will continue to highlight the
requirements of passengers with physical or mental impairments, and this training will be monitored and
improved where appropriate.
- The company will continue to press local authorities to introduce physical measures which will assist
the operation of buses generally, and improve accessibility for all passengers but especially those in
wheelchairs or with other physical disabilities.
- The company will also continue to press for the enforcement agencies to take active steps to ensure
that bus stop parking and waiting restrictions are vigorously applied, to ensure better access for both
buses and passengers.
- This Policy will be regularly reviewed and updated.
Peter Shipp
Chairman and Chief Executive
April 2008