An Edinburgh mum who was waiting to board a bus with her three-month-old baby in his pram ended up waiting in 22C heat for 30 minutes after another parent skipped the queue and took the last available pram space on board.
Danielle Dunbar, 23, was waiting to travel back home with baby Bodhi asleep in his pram when a dad allegedly pushed his way onto the bus first taking up the last space, meaning she had to wait for the next bus.
The new mum from Granton has aired her frustrations as it is not the first incident where she has encountered rude parents who have skipped the queue and believes more respect is needed.
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Speaking to Edinburgh Live Danielle said: I’m so sick of this happening. 20 minutes I’d waited for a bus and someone pushes in front of me that only just got there taking the only pram space!
"I needed to get my baby home because he was too hot in this heat then I had a half an hour wait in 22C heat.
"I find it really rude and disrespectful and also hurtful that a parent could do this happily to another parent, I strongly believe just like queuing anywhere else it should be on a first come first served basis!"
There are only a couple of spaces for prams and buggies onboard most Lothian Buses and if a wheelchair user gets on they take priority so there is often not enough space.
In this case, the mum needed to wait for another bus with space for her pram onboard as she there are a limited number allowed on for safety reasons.
She continued: "It has happened a few times now but each time has been a little different and it's the same with waiting times for a bus. I have had a half an hour wait before but on one occasion the next bus had no space so it was even longer.
"My son Bodhi is on prescription formula so I didn’t have enough one time because didn’t plan to be out so long.
"I always take extra now in case but it wasn’t like I could pop shop and get a ready-to-feed like most parents."
At the start of June, a similar incident took place involving the mum having to leave a bus she was on first to accommodate two parents with a toddler.
Danielle explained: "One weekend, I was on the 14 bus home with Bodhi my baby who at the time was two months old, we got on the bus on Princes Street, and he was in the Pram fast asleep as it was around 8pm so past his bedtime but we had a really busy day with some friends!
"A couple of stops after a couple got on with another buggy with their daughter who looked around three years of age.
"She was wide awake playing on a phone and being really loud and they sat in the wheelchair space in front of me, a couple of stops after a man in a wheelchair needed to board the bus."
"The bus driver, although I was in the Pram space and not the wheelchair space, said either one of us needed to fold down the Pram.
"At first the couple didn’t realise as their backs were towards the window so I kindly asked them if they would be able to fold theirs down considering they were in the wheelchair space, there were two of them and their daughter was older and wide awake, they said no."
Finally, Danielle added: "So I kindly reminded them I was on the bus first and told them my baby was fast asleep only a newborn and I was alone so would not have been able to manage alone and their response was 'someone will hold your baby so you can fold it down I’m sure.
"I explained to the bus driver how he knew I was on the bus first and that I’m not in the wheelchair space and that they are but he didn’t want to get involved, holding up the bus and other passengers getting annoyed with other buses waiting behind us.
"So I had no choice but to get off the bus as the couple wouldn’t do that either. I said to the bus driver as I got off how I didn’t find it fair especially as I would have to pay for the bus again."
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It reads on the Lothian Buses website: "Lothian are committed to creating an accessible and inclusive environment in which disabled individuals, families and anyone with additional access needs can feel confident and safe."
On rules around buggy users, it says: "We understand that travelling with young children can be difficult. For those wishing to use our services, we recommend that customers consider foldable and lightweight buggies to make travel as safe and as easy as possible.
"Lightweight and foldable buggies make it easier to get onto and off of the bus, as well as manoeuvring through the aisles and positioning safely in wheelchair-accessible or shared spaces.
"It also means that the buggy can be collapsed and stored as luggage on our busier services or where the wheelchair-accessible space and/or additional shared spaces are in use."
"When these spaces are not required by a wheelchair user, they may be used by a buggy user."
Lothian Buses has been approached for guidance regarding this issue.
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