Mobility Scooters Code

Requirements for Users of Mobility Scooters

First Bus follows the CPT code for the use and acceptance of Mobility Scooters on low-floor buses.

The Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT) is recognised by Government as the voice of the bus, coach and light rail industries, and the focus for consultation on national and international legislation, local regulations, operational practices and engineering standards. www.cpt-uk.org

All users of mobility scooters who are prospective passengers must obtain prior approval of operators and obtain a standard “permit for travel” prior to their scooter being carried on any bus.

Operators must ensure that Mobility Scooter users have their scooter assessed and approved as suitable for carriage on their vehicles. This approval needs to cover both the design of the scooter and the ability of the user to control and manoeuvre it safely.

Mobility scooter users must be assessed and receive on-bus training from the operator before travelling on the bus for the first time.

As part of this training, users should be advised about the prevalence of low floor vehicles with ramps and advised that where such a vehicle is not available and a step entry vehicle is in service, it will not be possible for them to be transported.

The user must be trained by the operator in manoeuvring up and down the ramp, and within the vehicle. The ramp must be accessed head on when boarding and alighting the vehicle to reduce the risk of accidents. Only once the operator is satisfied that the user can perform these tasks safely and in a reasonable period of time should the “permit to travel” be issued to the user.

Once on board, users should put their mobility scooter in the designated wheelchair space, reversed up to the backrest. The scooter motor must be switched off and the scooter parked in gear to avoid movement. If the wheelchair space is already occupied by a wheelchair, it will not be possible for the scooter user to travel.

It is a requirement that the passenger remains on the mobility scooter once it is parked in the designated wheelchair space, using the handrails provided to assist with safety and stability.

The user should be advised that the scooter will only be carried provided that it does not pose a danger to other occupants of the vehicle. The user should be advised that the scooter must therefore be maintained in good working order, that no battery or electrical or mechanical equipment should be exposed or be leaking any fluid, is not modified or customised such that it represents an obstruction or other hazard to other passengers, and that the scooter should not be overloaded with any items which would make the scooter unstable (e.g. shopping bags).

There is no legal requirement to carry Mobility Scooters which are carried at each operator’s individual discretion.

Bus operators reserve the right to withdraw the permit to travel in the event of misuse of the mobility scooter, by the holder of the permit, which results in damage or injury to other passengers and/or the vehicle.

For further information or to arrange a training session to obtain a 'permit for travel' please contact us.