Nelson man’s anger over bike’s bus ban

David Moore, of Brunswick Street, was told by a Transdev member of staff at Burnley Bus Station last month that it was a contravention of travel policy.

However, Mr Moore, who works as a cleaner in Burnley as well as doing voluntary work for the church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints, feels he is being penalised because of his disability.

He struggles for between five and 10 minutes to get his bike into a bag, and because he is quite tall, he requires a special saddle extension pole which means his bike doesn’t into the carrier properly anyway.

Mr Moore’s balance and walking ability is affected as his right leg is two inches shorter than his left, the result of a serious car crash in 1972.

He was also left slightly brain damaged following the accident and was unconscious for 25 days and semi-conscious for a further 42.

Mr Moore, who got his bike in 1999, said: “It’s a disability issue. I haven’t had any problems at Nelson Bus Station, just in Burnley.

“Because of the length of the saddle post, the bike doesn’t fit in the bag and it moves about inside. It weighs 22 kilograms and is much easier to lift on the bus and push it using the back wheel.”

Nigel Eggleton, Transdev Burnley and Pendle’s Marketing Director, said: “We are sorry Mr Moore has had a problem taking his folding bike onto our buses. We go to considerable lengths to ensure that everyone can use our services.

“We have invested several million pounds in the low floor, easy access, vehicles that operate the vast majority of our journeys.

“It’s fairly common throughout the transport industry, not just on buses, that folding bikes need to be in a cover. There are sound reasons for that, it’s to protect fellow passengers from oil and dirt that may be on the bicycle and to lessen the risks if the cycle falls over.

“We’d be delighted to meet Mr Moore to investigate a way forward that enables him to travel safely on our buses.”

It’s fairly common throughout the transport industry, not just on buses, that folding bikes need to be in a cover.