Ms Anne Graham:

We do not accept the level of service that we are offering to all our users. We know there are many improvements that still need to be made and we are ambitious to make those changes as well, particularly on the services that we directly contract. We did not accept that a wheelchair lift was the appropriate access onto a bus for a wheelchair user. It is demeaning and it is not an appropriate service. However, that is the fleet that has been manufactured in the UK and that has been brought into service. It is the standard in the UK. That is considered an accessible service. We did not consider that accessible. We especially commissioned a coach fleet for our regional services that had low floors, ramp access at the front that still allowed for a step later and could carry luggage. We felt that was not an appropriate service to be offering, particularly where the State is funding those services. That is the level of service we have an ambition to deliver on our contracted service. It does not need to be booked. People turn up and go and wheelchair space is available following a ramp both on our single-deck bus and also our double-deck coach.

As we roll out that fleet, we will get to a stage where the services we offer directly are 100% wheelchair accessible.