Nottingham has two local public transport systems that parents with pushchairs are likely to meet: Nottingham City Transport (NCT) buses and the Nottingham Express Transit (NET) tram. Each publishes its own rules, and they differ on folding, on how many pushchairs fit and on what happens when a wheelchair user needs the space. This guide summarises what NCT’s pushchairs page and NET’s Conditions of Carriage say. It covers services in Nottingham, England, only. The NET document was updated on 22 August 2022, so its wording should be checked against the operator’s current conditions before travelling. This is general information, not operator advice.
Pushchairs on NCT buses
NCT says unfolded pushchairs can be carried on its buses when the bay is not required by a wheelchair user, up to the maximum number shown on the bus. If the bay is full, the driver will give the passenger the opportunity to collapse the pushchair and store it in the luggage rack. NCT says it adopted a new policy following a 2017 Supreme Court ruling, under which priority for the bay goes to a wheelchair user, and that passengers should be prepared to collapse a pushchair if the driver asks so that a wheelchair user can board. The ruling is explained in the site’s guide to what Paulley v FirstGroup actually decided.
If a passenger cannot collapse the pushchair or move to another part of the bus, NCT says the driver can issue a complimentary ticket to allow boarding of the next bus.
How NCT counts double and triple buggies
NCT uses overall width to decide whether a larger buggy counts as one pushchair or two towards the limit on the bus. Its page gives four examples:
- a double buggy with two children side by side counts as two pushchairs;
- a double buggy with one child above the other counts as one;
- a double buggy with one child behind the other counts as one; and
- a triple buggy with two children side by side and one above counts as two.
The site’s guide to tandem and side-by-side double buggies compares the two designs.
Rules while travelling on an NCT bus
NCT says passengers must make sure that:
- the pushchair does not obstruct the gangway;
- the brake is applied;
- the adult remains with the pushchair at all times and the pushchair is occupied by a child, since unoccupied pushchairs must be collapsed and stored in the luggage rack; and
- the handles are not overloaded with bags, as this may cause the pushchair to tip over.
The last point matches the wider concern about overloading, covered in the site’s guide to the tipping hazard RoSPA warns about.
Pushchairs on the NET tram
NET’s Conditions of Carriage say the tram system is designed to be fully accessible for people with impaired mobility, including customers with young children or pushchairs. Access to all platforms except Nottingham Station and Queen’s Medical Centre is either level access or by sloping ramps, and at those two places a lift is available. Access from the platform to the tram is level with only a minimal gap between the platform edge and the tram.
On board, NET says there are two bays specifically for wheelchairs and pushchairs. For safety, wheelchair and pushchair users should be positioned correctly in the bays, with their back towards the backrest, as shown in diagrams in the conditions. If a NET authorised person considers that a wheelchair or pushchair parked otherwise is causing an obstruction, the customer must relocate as directed or take a later tram. NET also says wheelchair users have priority over other customers in the designated bay, and that a customer must vacate the bay if a wheelchair user needs it.
Luggage rules for prams and buggies on trams
NET’s luggage section says a passenger may, at the discretion of staff, take pushchairs, buggies and prams, provided they do not cause an obstruction and are not put on seats. Items it does not allow include unfolded bicycles or scooters, anything over 2 metres long, and any item the passenger cannot carry themselves, including up and down stairways. NET says it can refuse permission for any item to be taken on a tram, and advises contacting NET Customer Services for advice before travelling if in doubt. Manchester and Edinburgh’s approaches are compared in the site’s guide to pushchairs on Metrolink and Edinburgh Trams.
Frequently asked questions
Must I fold my pushchair on an NCT bus? Not if the bay is free, according to NCT, but a driver may ask for it to be collapsed when the bay is full or a wheelchair user needs the space.
What if the driver will not let me board with my pushchair? NCT says the driver can issue a complimentary ticket for the next bus if the pushchair cannot be collapsed and the passenger cannot relocate.
Can NET refuse my pram? Yes. Its conditions say it can refuse permission for any item, and that pushchairs and prams are carried at the discretion of staff.
The bottom line
In Nottingham, NCT buses take unfolded pushchairs only while the bay is free and count side-by-side doubles as two, while NET trams have two bays shared with wheelchairs and carry prams at staff discretion. In both cases a wheelchair user has priority, so be ready to fold the pushchair or move.