A DISABLED woman has spoken out over her humiliation after being refused to get on a bus with her mobility scooter.
Samantha Jones, 25, claims she wasn't allowed to board the bus with her scooter, but after arguing with the driver, her fiancé was allowed to drag it on after she had been transferred into a wheelchair.
The Warrington local, who suffers from Cauda Equina syndrome and chronic pain, slammed the bus network, saying she had lost her dignity in the confrontation.
She told The Sun Online: "I have just lost all my independence.
"I might have mobility issues but we should have the same rights as everyone else."
Her woes come after a court case victory that ruled bus drivers must be more accommodating to wheelchair users.
Samantha, from Cheshire, said she had injured her hand, meaning that she was unable to use her usual wheelchair and instead needed a mobility scooter.
But it was when she was on her way home from hiring the mobility scooter that she went to catch the 32A bus on Old Liverpool Street at about 1pm on Monday – only to discover they would not allow her on the bus.
She was luckily able to transfer on to her wheelchair and get onto the bus, with her fiancé hauling the scooter on to the bus afterwards.
She said: "If I didn't have my wheelchair, there's no chance that I would have been able to get home.
"To transfer (between chairs) with people watching me wasn't great – my dignity had been lost.
"It caused pain as well."
She said she escalated the issue with the manager but was simply told it was the network's policy.
RELATED STORIES
'You don't have time to work!' 
Jeremy Kyle slams unemployed guest who claims he has sex 'five times a day'
Mum who gave up high flying job to care for autistic son with related learning disability feels 'outcast from society'
Pastor who claimed £37k in disability benefits caught doing hokey cokey and wading into sea for baptisms
Being bad at maths is a 'learning disability – similar to dyslexia'
She said: “We weren't allowed to drive the mobility scooter on and when we got to the bus station, we asked to speak to the manager.
“But he came out and said it was company policy not to allow them on. But on the buses, they don't state it at all."
I might have mobility issues but we should have the same rights as everyone else
What is Cauda Equina Syndrome?
Cauda Equina Syndrome is a serious, but rare condition that affects the nerves at the end of the spinal cord – seeing them become severely compressed.
Symptoms of the syndrome, which is most commonly caused by a lumbar herniated disc or spinal infection, can include lower body weakness or numbness that makes those affected struggle to walk or stand.
Sufferers can also struggle with bladder incontinence.
Surgery can help to relieve the symptoms of the syndrome, but it is generally most effective if performed as soon as the symptoms begin to surface.
It can lead to possible permanent paralysis of the legs.
A Network Warrington spokesman said no complaints had yet been brought to their attention.
He said: "Generally, not all mobility scooters are of a size that we can accept on a bus.
"What people can do is to make contact with us and we can meet up with them.
"We will then assess whether a particular scooter is suitable to go on a bus and would then give them a letter that they can hold to get on the bus."
He said that each scooter needed to be individually assessed.
Another wheelchair user was refused a space on a bus just weeks ago.
Source: Read Full Article