Supreme Court agrees to hear bus access case

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal of the Court of Appeal's recent decision FirstGroup Plc v Paulley [2014] EWCA Civ 1573 in which a bus operator succesfully defended a claim of discrimination brought by a wheelchair user denied access to a wheelchair space being occupied by a baby in a pushchair.

The case considered what reasonable adjustments a bus company is required to make in order to accommodate disabled wheelchair users. The Appellant, a permanent wheelchair user, attempted to board a bus operated by FirstGroup Plc. A sign on the bus asked passengers occupying the wheelchair space to “please give up this space if needed for a wheelchair user”. On the day in question, the designated wheelchair space was occupied by a woman with a baby in a pushchair.

Upon being asked by the bus driver to move, pursuant to company policy, she refused saying that the buggy would not fold. The driver took no further action and the Appellant was unable to board the bus, which significantly delayed his travel plans. He sued the Respondent for unlawful discrimination.

A hearing date for the appeal has yet to be determined.