Electric buses arriving on our main bus route giving me a problem

I used the interactive AI reply when I "googled" unsuitable Yutong electric buses in our area and asked about shopping trolleys. It said to use the priority seats at the front and hold the trolley in the wheelchair area. I replied the barrier was too high to reach over. It said I was correct and to pull the trolley between my feet and the barrier. I said there was no room and it said I was correct, sit in "one of the flip up seats in the buggy area. There is only one seat and a lot of buggies. It replied I must give up the seat area to a buggy or wheelchair. Presumably I then get off and wait for another bus with my fingers crossed I will have somewhere to sit.

It specified that the Yutong buses are not designed for people with shopping but for commuters and student travel.

I took my 2 wheel trolley with me yesterday and (illegally) put it in the aisle. Luckily the bus was quiet. I was sitting next to another elderly lady who said she no longer shops by bus, only for appointments. She has gone back to using her diesel powered car, as have her car driving friends. Unfortunately I don't have that option

Talking about trains, on Wednesday my daughter has promised to take me to Monkey World in Wiltshire - but I have to get to Andover, where she lives, by train and meet her there. She was going to pick up my folding mobility scooter today when she came to take me to the Chiropodist but she is poorly and couldn't come. (The 3 mile journey, about 12 minutes by car took me 50 minutes one way and over an hour the other by bus, what with buses not turning up).

OK, the scooter folds into a "suitcase on wheels" so bus to train station. Guess what? The lifts at the station are out of order. I can probably get it up the steps given time but I can't get it safely back down as it's weight would pull me with it. I'll check if the lifts are working nearer the time and hope the bus that turns up is the non-electric type with room for the folded scooter.

I am reminded of the train I take for part of my journey to work - the step up from the platform is nearly 2 feet! Luckily I'm still fairly fit but heaven knows what I will be able to manage in a few years' time.

And of course nowadays flexible working means you have to lug your laptop and associated accessories around with you....

We have a bus route run by electric buses in my area. They are rarely able to complete the whole journey without running out of charge. They usually terminate early and miss the last couple of miles of the route.

Bus passengers in Oxford have been told that the electric buses cannot use their air conditioning in the hot weather because they would run out of power.
It seems that electric is not always best. I have managed to always avoid the raised seats as I would feel very unsafe.

Go with MOnica's points. Whole situation has not been thought out.

M0nica, the weight problem on the bridge already features on a local FB page and I did mention it to the Stagecoach guy.
On the bus today, yet again not a Nepali to be seen, but plenty of passengers loudly discussing the seating problems. It seems like I am far from being the only discontented passenger.

I had the same thought Wombat - but they usually leave the mountaineering to their menfolk while the ladies carry the shopping home.

I thought the Nepalese were expert mountaineers?

(Sorry! )

They should have tested a bus with a sample of typical passengers of all types. Clothes from China are usually very small for size. Is it the same with Chinese buses?

Oh, and post on your local Facebook page. Our local authority are back tracking very fast over plans they had to build flats on the main town centre carparks of the three main towns in the area after a a campaign grew up from people protesting on Facebook.

Aely Contact your MP, possibly your local branch and/or the national offices of the Health & Safety Executive, and local radio/newspapers.

I spoke to someone at the County Council (they approved them for the route) and she gave me the number to ring at Stagecoach where the guy listened and said it was very useful feedback and hopefully they could "tweak" the design. Unfortunately, because of the need to accommodate the ginormous batteries I doubt there is much they can do.

I should also have mentioned that nobody thought to check that the "weak bridge" on the route was up to the job. The buses, if full, exceed the maximum weight by 2 tons and they have to be diverted, losing several stops and robbing one area of the bus altogether. Actually, most drivers take the risk of us landing in the canal and ignore the diversion.

Have you taken this up with the local bus company your local Council and your MP, pointing out, of course of the problems for your local Nepali community.

You explain the problem so clearly in your post, use it as the text for the authorities. The seat with the drop sounds dangerous, so pick up on health and safety issues as well. Say you will sue if you have to sit there again and sustain an injury.

Either the bus company or the council should have checked out the suitability of these buses for the routes they follow before ordering them.