PARENTS fighting for the right to take prams on buses say they have the backing of bus drivers against transport bosses.
They claim the drivers also want the controversial Lothian Buses "pram ban" to be scrapped, after many expressed sympathy with protesters at a demonstration outside the company's headquarters yesterday.
Mum-of-one Caroline Burgess, 27, from Barnto
n, said: "Talking to them, they said they would rather have this policy lifted. I hope the company will see sense."
Parents took to the pavement outside the Annandale Street depot at about 3pm to raise awareness of their campaign. They handed out posters to drivers and spoke to them about their fight.
Ms Burgess said: "We were worried that drivers perhaps thought we were against them because of the ban. I hope we have presented ourselves in such a light that shows we are not.
"This is about their management."
During the summer, Lothian Buses did an apparent U-turn on its normal practice of allowing all prams or buggies on to buses. It now says that only foldable devices are permitted, to comply with disability legislation by making room for wheelchair users.
Managers insist this has always been Lothian Buses' policy, despite parents arguing they travelled for years with prams, and would use a common sense approach by getting off if a wheelchair user needed space.
Campaigners believe drivers are being placed in an awkward position, having to turn away parents and babies in order to comply with company regulations, even though many seem to be against the ban.
Sarah Hinks, 31, from Barnton, used Lothian Buses with her seven-month-old son until the ban was enforced.
She said: "Drivers have been really supportive. We want them to know it's just as confusing for us as it is for them in working out exactly what type of "foldable" buggy is allowed on.
"We really didn't want to have to resort to this protest."
Campaigners also took to the city centre yesterday in a bid to gather more signatures for their now 1600-strong petition which will go to the Scottish Parliament's petition committee for consideration on November 4.
A further 200 people offered support, adding to backing from the council and politicians across the city.
Ms Burgess said: "We don't want drivers to perhaps use their discretion and just let us on buses. This is about having the confidence to know we can travel with Lothian Buses.
"We don't want a half-baked compromise – it's not good enough. Our campaign is all about raising awareness and getting as much support from the public."
A spokesman for Lothian Buses said its policy on prams remained the same and would not be changing.
The full article contains 460 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
