In a deeply troubling incident, London bus drivers are under fire after reportedly refusing to lower a ramp for a disabled two-year-old boy, leaving him and his mother stranded and humiliated.
The boy’s mother, who has chosen to remain anonymous, captured footage of one such incident on the 197 route in Croydon last Wednesday morning at around 10:45am.
The video shows the desperate mother asking the driver to deploy the ramp for her son, Charles, who relies on a specialist chair, only to be told to “bump it up” instead. Moments later, the driver pulls away.
“What an idiot,” the mum can be heard saying under her breath, clearly shaken by the encounter.
A Mother’s Struggle
“It’s awful and feels so humiliating when this happens. When I got to the soft play, I was crying,” she later explained.
Charles, born prematurely in 2022, weighing just 2lbs, suffers from chronic lung disease. He needs a ventilator for at least 16 hours a day and is fed through a tube.
He cannot speak or walk. His medical equipment—including a ventilator, oxygen cylinder, suction machine, and feeding pump—is stored under his chair, making it critical that the ramp is used properly for boarding.
“I can’t bump the chair up. It could damage the equipment,” the mother stressed.
Despite the emotional toll, she said she had to press on for her son. “Buses are Charles’ absolute obsession, and once this has happened, I just want to go home—but I can’t. I have to keep going for him.”
Repeated Issues and Little Understanding
Later that same day, at 12:15pm, a different encounter unfolded. This time, a second driver attempted to assist by lifting the seat manually. But again, the mother had to clarify: “It’s not a pram.” Eventually, a supervisor intervened, instructing the driver to lower the ramp properly.
“They just don’t care. All they have to do is press a button. Someone who doesn’t need the ramp isn’t going to ask for it,” she said. “People shouldn’t be expected to explain their disabilities or justify their needs.”
This isn’t an isolated issue. Data from disability campaign group Transport for All reveals nearly 30% of disabled people in the UK report difficulties with bus ramps. These issues range from ramps getting stuck to buses not being properly “knelt” to ground level.
The impact is more than just inconvenience. For families like Charles’, it adds emotional and logistical burdens to already challenging lives.
“Charles has to fight for every day of his life. Once I manage to get us out the door, I just need things to go smoothly. That’s not too much to ask,” his mum said.
“All I want to do is get on the bus and have a bit of peace, not arguments. By the time we’ve had the discussion, they could easily have just put down the ramp—it makes no sense.”
TfL Responds
Transport for London (TfL) has issued a statement condemning the behaviour and promising a full investigation.
Rosie Trew, Head of Bus Service Delivery at TfL, said: “Wheelchair users and others requiring use of the ramp have every right to expect to be able to use the ramp on every journey. Any unreasonable refusal to deploy the on-bus ramp is completely unacceptable, and we are very sorry for the distress this has caused.
We are working with the bus operator to fully investigate the incidents and continue to urge anyone who experiences issues like these to report them immediately.”
This incident highlights a worrying lack of understanding and empathy towards disabled passengers, particularly children with complex needs. Public transport should be inclusive and accessible to all. For Charles and many like him, it’s not just about convenience, it’s about dignity. The hope now is that real change follows, not just apologies.
