A West Lothian woman has been left furious after claiming she was banned from using her mobility scooter on board her local bus.
Lynne Reid, 58, has claimed she is being "discriminated against" by the company, after relying on the scooter due to a number of issues with her back.
Sharing that her disability barely allows her to walk, Lynne said that she has now been told by McGill's that the scooter will no longer be permitted on board.
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Putting the reason down to health and safety concerns over the scooter's motor, Lynne said she had experienced no previous issues until a few months after McGill's took over from Lothian Buses in September.
Living in Whitecross, on the border of West Lothian and Falkirk, Lynne said that her trips to Linlithgow were now impossible due to the new rule.
Suffering with a bone growth protruding from a spinal disc, Lynne told the Courier: “When they first took over I was able to get on the bus, and I used it two to three times to get to different appointments and then about a month ago my daughter and two of my grandsons came to visit and we decided to have a trip to Falkirk on the bus. But the driver point-blank refused me entry on the bus with my scooter.
“I’ve not tried again since because I contacted by councillor about it and they said McGill’s will not budge on this, I’m not going to get on. That’s their policy now but when they first took over everybody was led to believe we’d be able to get on with the mobility scooters.
“They said the reason I can’t is because of the motors and they’re putting it down to health and safety.
“I feel discriminated against and stuck, I can’t get out and about unless one of my carers is available but that’s only once a month, compared to when I could use the bus the when I feel okay I can go out to Linlithgow or somewhere, I can’t do that anymore.
“First Bus had me sit a little test which I did and after that I got a card that said I was allowed to use the scooter to get on and off the buses, but McGill’s won’t even let me sit the same test.”
McGill’s has been approached for a comment.
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