A fair report please (From Wiltshire Times)

A fair report please

6:00pm Thursday 2nd February 2012 in Letters

In reference to your article titled ‘Bus Trauma For Disabled Teenager’: the article states that Miss Brook has been repeatedly ‘refused’ access to the bus which she uses to get to college. It also states that the First bus drivers ‘turned her away’.

I somehow feel those terms are rather strong considering it is unlikely the drivers would not have shown a high degree of sympathy.

The article gives the impression that the young lady was turned away without any thoughts of her feelings and her situation. Would the drivers do such things? I doubt it.

Your emphasis should have been on a packed bus and other passengers who probably could and should have rearranged themselves, along with their prams etc, to allow Kelly to get on board.

It appears to me that a little bit more understanding and human kindness could have prevented Kelly’s trauma.

You mentioned glibly that Health and Safety was quoted for Kelly’s inability to travel. I believe this is a huge issue and if this is ever ignored and things go wrong, the implication could be very grave for everyone, especially the drivers.

I feel huge sympathy for the young lady and I believe great efforts should be made to ensure she gets to college, but I feel your article is blaming the drivers of those buses. In my opinion that’s wrong. If you speak to them, it is very likely they feel very sympathatic to this valued passenger. Your paper should always try to maintain fairness and balance, the article, in my view, did not portray this.

W Reid, Cadby Close, Trowbridge.