26th September 2011
Bus Company Leaves Blind Passenger Ignored

A bus company in North Shields has apoligised after a 98 year old blind passenger was left at the bus & stop ignored repeatedly.

Joseph Munroe, 98, from North Shields is registered blind, and lives alone. The passenger claims that the bus service, number 333 which runs a circular route in North Shields, refused to pick him up claiming he was abusing his bus pass. The passenger sometimes used the bus in wrong direction to stay warm when it was cold outside.

He claims a driver once said "you're not coming on this bus, wait for the next one" and he said he'd report it to Nexus, the Public Transport Executive for the Tyne & Wear who contract this service to the local operator. Since this happened the bus keeps driving straight past him. The passenger added:
"First one driver told me I couldn't get on, so I called up and made a complaint, and now [two] drivers on the route have told me I'm barred."

A Nexus spokesperson told the BBC: "We're very sorry for the experience Mr Munroe has had. If there is a particular problem with a driver, we want it sorting out quickly...We've been in contact with the bus company that provide this service on our behalf to make sure in the future Mr Munroe is always picked up."

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