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Article

1 May 2013

Author:
Andrew Douglas, Northern Echo [UK]

Arriva North East wins landmark discrimination case brought by wheelchair passengers [UK]

A bus firm accused of discriminating against disabled people has won a landmark court case. Arriva North East has been told to make "adjustments" so wheelchair users are not unduly disadvantaged. However, Judge Peter Bowers…ruled it had not breached the Equality Act and had not left wheelchair users at "substantial disadvantage" over able bodied passengers. The company was being sued by…disabled people…who claimed they had experienced discrimination...Arriva North East argued it complied with Department of Transport guidelines and its drivers were given appropriate training. The judge did make a number of recommendations, which included that Arriva set up a 'hotline' for wheelchair users…[T]he claimants…said they would seek an appeal…The campaigners had been challenging Arriva's first come, first served policy that means drivers do not have to force passengers occupying wheelchair spaces to move if a wheelchair user wants to board…