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I want apology
for horror on the buses
• I am a mother of two (aged five years and
10 months). On March 8, I collected my eldest son from his
school in Aldwych and took the north-bound 168 bus at approximately
4.45pm with the intention of returning home.
The driver was extremely hostile, and refused to allow me
to board the bus with my baby in the push-chair, and my other
child.
After some discussion, he allowed me on the bus when I explained
to him that I would fold up the push-chair and so I paid the
fare and entered the bus.
The bus was not at all busy. However, when I noticed a wheel-chair
in the disabled area, I started to fold up the push-chair
with the intention of placing it in the luggage area.
When the bus stopped at the next stop (Holborn station), the
driver left his seat and approached me extremely aggressively
shouting “get off the bus, you do not understand English”
and did not even allow me time to put my baby back in the
pushchair.
I said okay because I did not want to argue with him in front
of my son. As I was forced out of the bus carrying my baby
in one arm and the pushchair in the other, my foot slipped
off the wet steps (it was raining heavily), causing both my
baby and myself to fall to the ground. My older child was
terrified and started crying uncontrollably.
Fortunately, the people at the bus stop were very kind and
understanding. They called the emergency services that sent
an ambulance to take me to UCLH.
My baby and I were examined and discharged in the evening.
The paramedic told my husband: “We have informed the
police and they will come to the hospital to talk to your
wife.” But the police did not come! I called the police
myself two days later and I was told “the police know
about the incident, but you need to go to a police station
and report the incident”.
I was in so much pain and felt very tired to go to the police
station, my husband had to take a day off to look after me
and the baby. I had swelling and tenderness in areas including
my shoulder, thigh, and lower back. Three days later my baby
became very ill and needed to be hospitalised for two nights
(he had ear infection with high fever) and took him a week
to recover.
I made a complaint to London Buses and TfL and to the Mayor
of London and my MP. I received a letter from London Buses.
The letter did not include an apology and they regarded the
matter as “a raised point”! After that I received
another letter from London Buses’ customer services stating
that the Mayor has instructed them to carry out an investigation.
This time the letter was different included an apology and
it was very sympathetic. I have not heard from the MP’s
office yet and awaiting the result of London Buses investigation.
What I am after is a formal apology and some discipline so
no driver treat women and mothers in such dreadful way. I
have seen so many mothers struggling with some drivers’
attitude. I am a working mother, I use this bus every day
to take my children to school) the day care centre and I have
no other means.
The Mayor imposed the congestion charge promising better transport
services for all, but in fact it is a daily struggle.
I must say that the most serious injury both my five years
old child and myself are going through is the psychological
trauma caused by this maltreatment. My son everyday asks me
why the driver asked us to get off the bus? I really do not
have an answer for that. Whenever we board a bus he says “it
is good mum, he is not the same driver”.
Amira Khadum
Address supplied
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