London wheelchair user Katie Pennick 'refused' access to bus Published duration 7 May 2019

media caption Bus driver 'refuses' wheelchair user access

A wheelchair user has shared her "overwhelming frustration" at being refused access to London buses.

Katie Pennick filmed a driver who allowed other passengers to get on first.

Transport for London (TfL) has apologised to Ms Pennick and said an investigation has been launched as "something had gone wrong".

Ms Pennick says she was turned away from two bus services - the 141 and the 253 - as she travelled from Stoke Newington to Holloway on Sunday.

She said: "This is not just an isolated incident. It happens multiple times a week and makes me feel like a second-class citizen.

"The onus is on TfL as this should be public transport and accessible to all. It just makes me feel so overwhelmingly frustrated and upset."

image copyright Twitter image caption Katie Pennick says she is often delayed or late as a result of being refused access to buses

Ms Pennick received an apology from Claire Mann, TfL's director of bus operations.

In a statement, Ms Mann said: "It is essential wheelchair users are given priority in the allocated area on buses and clearly something has gone wrong here.

"We will investigate this with the bus company immediately."

However, Ms Pennick said she had lodged complaints with TfL before and previous responses to her concerns had been "quite faceless".

"I get the same reply time and time again. It would be nice to see something tangible as to what TfL will do to make sure this doesn't happen again."

media caption When step-free on the Tube isn't actually step-free