This guide sets out what two bus operators say on their own help pages: the page headed “Bus accessibility” in the West Yorkshire section of the First Bus website, and two answers on the Arriva Bus Help Portal for the Midlands. Both were read on 2 November 2026 and show no date. Other First Bus areas and other Arriva regions were not read, so their wording may differ. Conditions can change, so it is worth checking the operator’s current page before travelling. General information, not legal advice.
Getting on and off a First bus
First Bus describes a method for a bus it calls “buggy friendly”. The page says to lean the buggy onto its rear wheels, move forward and lower the front wheels onto the bus, and that the driver can be asked to lower the step. It says not to try boarding while the step is lowering, because the buggy’s wheels could be trapped between the step and the kerb. For leaving, the page says to wait for the bus to stop completely, to check it is not lowering, and to lean the buggy back slightly on its rear wheels until they reach the edge of the step before lowering it.
What First asks for on board
- The buggy should be in the special “buggy zone”.
- The brakes should be applied and the buggy held at all times.
- Neither child nor buggy should be left unattended.
- Shopping and other bags should not be hung on the buggy, because it could tip over.
The page also says space for buggies is limited, that it can vary with the bus, the number of pushchairs and their size, and that if buggies are already on board the driver may ask for yours to be folded. It asks passengers not to block aisles or exits.
Arriva in the Midlands: up to two, first come first served
An Arriva Midlands help answer says its easy access buses can accommodate, on a first come, first served basis, up to 2 prams, pushchairs or buggies. It adds that if the bus is busy, a passenger may be asked to fold the pushchair up or may not be allowed to bring it aboard.
A separate answer covers a child in a disabled pushchair. It says disabled pushchairs are allowed on the bus at all times, but that this may not be possible if the designated area is already occupied, and that drivers will try their best to accommodate all passengers.
The two pages side by side
| Point | First Bus (West Yorkshire page) | Arriva (Midlands help portal) |
|---|---|---|
| Space | Limited; varies by bus, number and size of pushchairs | Up to 2, first come first served |
| Folding | Driver may ask if buggies are already on board | May be asked if the bus is busy |
| Refusal | Not stated on the page read | May not be allowed aboard if busy |
| Wheelchair space | May be used only if not needed by a wheelchair user | Not addressed in the two answers read |
When a wheelchair user needs the space
First Bus says wheelchair users have priority over everyone else for the designated wheelchair space, giving as its reason that it is the only place in which they can travel safely. It says a buggy may use the space only if a wheelchair user does not need it. Where a pushchair or buggy is in the space, the page says the driver will ask for it to be repositioned, moved to another part of the bus, or folded and stored in the luggage space where available.
The page then goes a step further than asking. If passengers do not respond without good reason and the bus is not full, it says the driver will advise them that they are required to move from the wheelchair space, and that the driver will consider other action such as not setting off from the stop until the situation is resolved.
What the Supreme Court said about asking
The judgment in FirstGroup plc v Paulley [2017] UKSC 4 concerned FirstGroup’s policy at the time. It records that the claim was that FirstGroup had failed to make “reasonable adjustments” to its policies, contrary to section 29(2) of the Equality Act 2010. In paragraph 66, Lord Neuberger, with whom Lord Reed agreed, wrote that it was not enough for FirstGroup to instruct its drivers simply to request non-wheelchair users to vacate the space and to do nothing further if the request was rejected. The judgment contains several separate opinions, and this guide does not summarise the others. The point here is only that the First Bus page describes a further step after a request is not acted on.
The bottom line
The two pages read describe different arrangements. First Bus’s West Yorkshire page gives boarding steps, a buggy zone, a reminder to apply the brakes and not to hang bags on the buggy, and a wheelchair-space policy in which the driver may require a move. Arriva’s Midlands help portal says up to 2 prams are carried on a first come, first served basis, with folding or refusal possible on a busy bus. The pages read do not say how either policy works in other regions, so arrangements can differ by operator and area. For a specific route, the operator’s own page or customer service is the place to check.
Sources
- Bus accessibility, Buggies and Pushchairs, First Bus (West Yorkshire section), page undated, read 2 November 2026 (firstbus.co.uk)
- Can I take a pram on the bus?, Arriva Bus Help Portal, Midlands, page undated, read 2 November 2026 (help.arrivabus.co.uk)
- Can I get on Arriva buses with my child in a disabled pushchair?, Arriva Bus Help Portal, Midlands, page undated, read 2 November 2026 (help.arrivabus.co.uk)
- FirstGroup Plc v Paulley [2017] UKSC 4, UK Supreme Court judgment, read 2 November 2026 (caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk)