A GRANDMOTHER was left fuming when she was refused entry on to two buses with her grandson in a pushchair.
Fiona Rodriguez, 43, wanted to get home to Portland from Weymouth but because of her medical condition she refused to fold her grandson Orlando’s pushchair and was not allowed on to the buses by two drivers from First buses.
Mrs Rodriquez dropped her car off at Dowsett’s garage in Wyke Regis and wanted to get home to Grove Road on Portland on the bus with Orlando and Leo, 3.
But she suffers from fibromyalgia – a condition that causes pain and swelling to her joints – so she wanted to keep nine-month-old Orlando in his buggy.
And she was forced to wait for a third bus to come along before there was enough room for them to travel.
Mrs Rodriguez said: “I needed to get the bus back from Wyke with my two grandsons and it was raining.
“I was well annoyed when I couldn’t get on.
“I’ve not been on a bus for a long time and I’ve said to my husband I will not get on that bus again.”
A First spokesman said th company was hoping to have buses that could fit on more buggies and wheelchairs in future but at the moment there were times where there was only room for one without the rest being folded up.
Mrs Rodriguez said she felt victimised.
She said: “I went to get on the first bus that came along and the driver said I could not get on straight away. So I was a bit riled.
“I waited for the second bus to come but the driver said I was going to have to fold the buggy.
“It makes my joints stiff and ache so I can’t carry heavy stuff. A nine-month-old grandson and a buggy I could not do.”
A First spokesman said: “We can confirm that we have received some feedback from Mrs Rodriguez.
“We have looked into this matter and have concluded that the drivers of the buses concerned acted properly by asking Mrs Rodriguez to fold the buggy she was travelling with as wheelchair and buggy space on the buses was occupied.”
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