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“Appalling treatment of a disabled lady passenger”

written by suzydoll68 on 24/06/2019

This was our first holiday with Shearings. After discussing the needs of our group with the assistance team at Shearings we chose to go to Morecambe. No travel issues getting to the interchange at Normanton. The driver kept us informed along the way. He explained clearly what would happen when we arrived at our hotel.
The hotel itself is slowly being updated but for a 3* it was ok. All the staff we're amazing. Any request was granted without any issue. The food was plain and simple. Good choices and was always fresh and hot.
We we're told the excursions we're escorted and suitable for people with mobility problems
The first on Tues we we're dropped in a one street village with extremely uneven and narrow pavements and a steep hill into the carpark. DEFINITELY NOT DISABLED FRIENDLY. After almost 2 hours we were taken to aother village, famous for cheese making. The coach dropped us the opposite end of the village. The driver told us roughly where the cheese factory was. Unfortunately by the time we had managed to climb up to the main village, we barely had time for lunch then had to return to the coach. No time to walk to the cheese factory, so we missed that experience. Very disappointing.
On the Weds our driver offered us an additional excurtion, which was a nice half a day bonus.
On the Thurs we were really looking forward to going on the steam train featuring the UK's longest tunnel and oldest surviving viaduct still in use, while travelling 72 miles through the amazing scenery.
We we're informed that we would not be travelling by steam train but by a normal desiel train. The driver didn't know why.
Before leaving the coach the driver told us we had seats reserved on the front 2 carriages and a volunteer would be with us to explain the trip. We we're not accompanied by anyone from then. There was several disabled people in the group, I had to go to the ticket office to find someone to escort us over the train tracks. Once we joined the rest of our group, the railway man informed us that there was only 2 carriages running. We had reserved seats but the majority of people already sat in them refused to move. Consquently I had to stand in the entry area of the train for the whole 1 1/2 hr journey. I am a disabled lady that needs to use a stick!Shearings said it was a steam journey with escort. It is just a normal timetabled passenger train. We weren't given any information about the journey. In Shearings brouchre it does state that it may not always be possible to use the steam train. 
IN THE TICKET OFFICE AT THE STATION THERE IS A NOTICE ON THE WALL SAYING ONLY TIME THE STEAM TRAIN RUNS IS WHEN IT HAS BEEN CHARTERED PRIVATELY.

On Fri we set off to retrace our steps home. First stop the interchange, where accordingly to Shearings we can purchase food and drinks. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS ISN'T ALWAYS TRUE. When we arrived at 1550 there wasn't any sandwiches or cooked food available, when I asked if they could do anymore I was told no.
After a short wait we were told our coach was ready for boarding. We joined the rest of our group. My husband wheeled my Dad to the steps,helped him up on to the first step then turned his wheelchair slightly towards the driver stood near the luggage hold. The driver made no move towards the wheelchair, but called my husband back and told him to fold it up and lift it into the space. He finished guiding my dad onto the coach then did as asked. The driver got on the coach and we set off. He didn't take any names, or introduce himself. At the first drop off point he shouted for a couple but there was no one of that name there. He got off to make a phone call. We went to the next few stops then made our way to our drop off point. As we approached the service area, I heard a couple of passengers asking the driver if he was sure he was going to the right side. He assured them that he knew what he was doing. He pulled up and we began to get off. My husband and I were the last of our group of 6 to get off. My parents had managed to get off and they we're waiting for the wheelchaiir and bags. My mum saw me coming down the coach steps and warned me the last step was very high, I knew I would have a problem getting off. I asked for the coach to be lowered but was told it wouldn't go any lower and he didn't have a step to help me. I had no other choice but to try to lower myself down onto the steps of the coach then shuffle down the steps,until my legs were dangling over the edge and letting myself drop. I was extremely embarrassed and upset by this. During this I have hurt my knee,arm side. Again a gentleman with us insisted he was on the wrong side. The driver walked away for several minutes, when he returned to us he told us to get back on the coach because we were in the wrong place. My husband and mum got my Dad back on. The driver got back into his seat and sat smirking as my husband literally had to manhandle me up the step as I tried to pull myself up. Hurting myself again. Again he said there wasn't any step to help. By this time I was very upset. This is no way to treat a disabled person. I politely asked the driver for his name but he refused to tell me. I told him I was hurt and felt very humiliated and that his attitude was awful. He shouted at me and said he didn't care and he felt threaten by me and if I didnt shut up and sit down he was going to get me off the coach and leave me behind. As my husband helped me back to a seat, I couldn't stop myself from bursting into tears. My Dad was very upset about the whole experience and told the driver to stop it,and to get us to the right place. The driver kept coming back at him. My Dad told him if he was a younger fitter man he would put him in his place. The driver responded by saying come on then I'll soon have you. My Dad was very red and breathless, my mum stood up very distressed pleading with driver to stop it. She told him that my Dad has a heart condition and that he has got terminal cancer. The driver said SO WHAT. I DONT CARE. Absolutely disgusted