A low vision and mobility-impaired woman is calling for better accessibility after two “ghastly” experiences where she was unable to get on or off the bus.
After a failed hip replacement in 2006, Kapiti Coast woman Rosalie Sugrue has been dependent on crutches to get around. A bout of “uncontrollable” glaucoma last year also left her blind in one eye, with impaired vision in the other.
She has always lived independently and is used to using public transport — having never experienced any issues in the past. But a recent trip to Napier and Feilding in September for a friend's 60th wedding anniversary left her wanting better support from InterCity buses.
After "a lovely, lovely time in Napier” the bus to Feilding arrived, and she found passengers had to enter from the back door, which was “a bit weird".
"I've never got on the back door before."
Sugrue said the steps onto bus were high off the road, and she struggled to get on board.
“There wasn't any sort of a platform, not even a curb of pavement. And then I discovered, because of my mobility issues, I was not able to easily lift high enough to reach the furthest step.
"This was a really big step, which I feel many elderly people - whether they were officially mobility impaired or not - would have great trouble reaching.”
She asked the driver for assistance, and was surprised when he told her: “If you can't get on unassisted, you can't travel with me.”
On InterCity’s website, their policy states: “Passengers must be able to board and disembark the bus without assistance from the driver” for health and safety reasons.
Sugrue isn’t blaming the drivers as “they were just doing their job”.
Eventually, the driver helped her up, and they began their journey to Palmerston North, where she would change buses to Feilding.
Things also became difficult when the bus arrived at its destination as “getting off is so different to getting on”.
“Once again, it was just on the road. And it was this enormous step, which I could not judge of course."
After standing there for a minute “wondering what to do”, the driver “virtually lifted” her off the step onto the road.
“All those people milling around, it was really quite ghastly.”
While boarding and disembarking the bus from Palmerston North to Feilding a “word-for-word replay" of the same "pantomime” happened, only this time she almost fell onto the ground.
Following the incidents, she sent a letter to the company offering some solutions to improve accessibility.
“To carry a portable step which costs less than $20 from The Warehouse is no problem for any company. It's just totally ignored me.”
She wants to see them do better, as InterCity is one of the few ways people can get around the country without a car.
“There's no other carrier but InterCity. Disabled people are always encouraged to be as independent as possible. I feel they're just breaking so many values."
Inaccessible buses a 'very common' experience
Juliana says from finding suitable accommodation to being able to enjoy the beach, life can prove challenging for those living with a disability. (Source: Fair Go)
Access Matters Aotearoa’s lead campaigner Juliana Carvalho told 1News Sugrue’s experience isn’t new.
“It's very common because busses are not accessible, everyone that has mobility impairments are affected,” she said.
“In the case of Rosalie, she was on crutches - so she managed. But if it's someone in a wheelchair, there's no way they can get on.”
She said companies are trying to do the right thing but don’t know how, which is why she’s calling for “legislation, with enforceable standards”.
When things like this happen, “you feel like you're not equal citizens. And that has a huge impact on the quality of your life,” she said.
Carvalho wants to see everybody “play in the process of inclusion and belonging”.
“Just show a bit of empathy and, be on our side and call for or a more fair society."
InterCity responds
In a statement to 1News, Entrada/InterCity chief operations officer Sam Peate said the company was "very sorry to hear of this passenger’s experience".
He said InterCity had already "called her directly to find out more and how we may be able to better support her travels with us".
He also offered some advice to passengers looking to travel with InterCity.
"As our drivers travel alone, we recommend that passengers who require special assistance contact us before travelling, to ensure that we do what we can to provide the best level of service.”
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