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Transport

7.3 Small accessible bus design

Contents

• Small accessible bus design
• Diagram of bus with side ramp
• Diagram of bus with rear ramp

Small accessible bus design

On buses narrower than 2300mm, seats other than priority ones can be narrowed to a minimum of 425mm. Gangways can be narrowed to a minimum of 420mm. However, decreasing the space of gangways and seats will increase the alighting and boarding times of passengers.

Buses narrower than 2120mm (internal) are too small to allow four 425mm seats abreast and a gangway width of 420mm. In this case buses should not be fitted with more than 3 seats abreast.

For practical reasons, wheelchair spaces on smaller buses can be limited to one. However, where practicable, as with rear access buses two spaces can be provided.

In buses with ramps at the rear then wheelchair users must face forward. The social exclusion of travelling with your back to the rest of the passengers is unacceptable. Therefore, both the wheelchair and its user must be anchored securely to the vehicle, for their own and other passengers' safety. The extra duty of care required of the driver or crew must be incorporated in the operator's staff training programme.

Diagram of bus with side ramp

Diagram of bus with rear ramp

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