CLOSING submissions are due to be heard in a landmark legal case against a bus company accused of discriminating against disabled people.
The case, which is being heard at Middlesbrough county court, challenges Arriva’s ‘first come, first served’ policy in respect of wheelchair access.
The decision will establish whether a disabled passenger has a legal right to the wheelchair space on buses.
Arriva had been granted additional time to call witnesses to explain why they consider the adjustments made by other bus companies could not be made by them.
They argue that the cost of making reasonable adjustments to accommodate disabled passengers access to the wheelchair space was cost prohibitive.
Arriva also argue that a change to their policy would be prejudicial to parents using pushchairs.
Unity Law, which represents the disabled claimants, has accused Arriva of attempting to create an unnecessary conflict between these two groups of bus users.
Closing submissions will be heard on Wednesday (February 13), with a judgement expected in March.
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