Transport for LondonBuses
Floor-level buses enable all customers, including wheelchair users*, people with buggies, people with assistance dogs and people with other mobility impairments to get on and off easily.
* The wheelchair space on buses cannot take a wheelchair bigger than 70cm in width and 120cm in length.
Wheelchairs
All London buses have easy access ramps and enough onboard room for one wheelchair. Most wheelchairs (motorised or not) can fit on a bus but only certain models of mobility scooter can. Please check with our Travel Mentoring Team to make sure.
On most buses the wheelchair ramp is located at the exit doors. To board safely, please wait until all passengers wanting to get off have left the bus. The exit doors will then close and the ramp will extend to let you board. The front doors should remain closed to boarding passengers so you can get on quickly and safely. When you board the bus, the safest way is to be facing in a forward direction.
Once on board, and for your safety, position yourself in the wheelchair space with your back against the backrest and your brake on. To leave the bus, press the button with the wheelchair symbol on it, next to the wheelchair space, shortly before your stop.
This button has a distinct sound and a light will appear on the driver`s dashboard to let them know yours is the next stop. The bus will pull in close to the kerb. The front doors will stay closed to give you time to get off.
The exit doors will open to let other passengers off and then close again to extend the ramp, so that you can get off the bus.
If the ramp goes out of service after you have boarded, it is the responsibility of the bus operator to ensure that you can leave the bus safely.
If you are unable to board a bus because of a broken ramp, please wait for the next one and tell Customer Services as soon as possible on 0845 300 7000.
Free travel
Travel is free if you are a wheelchair or mobility scooter user. You won't need to show a ticket or a pass but if you are travelling with someone, they must have a valid ticket or pay the appropriate fare. Children and young people under the age of 18 in full-time education and those holding Freedom Passes are also entitled to free travel on buses.
Mobility Aid Recognition Scheme
We have introduced a Mobility Aid Recognition Scheme which has been designed to help anybody with a mobility aid who wishes to use London's buses.
The scheme is primarily aimed at people with mobility scooters but may also be used by people with manual or powered wheelchairs, mobility walkers or shopping trolleys, where these are used as a mobility aid. Be aware that only certain models of mobility scooter can fit on London buses, so you should check first.
Customers who wish to be part of the scheme should first contact our Travel Mentoring Service who will ask you a few questions to check that your mobility aid is suited to bus travel. Whilst most wheelchairs and some mobility scooters will fit on London's buses, some are too large, so we need to understand which mobility aid you will be using.
For a list of suitable mobility scooters, please download our guide (PDF 122KB).
You will then be offered the opportunity of an accompanied journey to check the suitability and size of your device. This is a great opportunity to receive hints and tips on the safest and best way to board and alight and get in and out of the wheelchair space on London's buses.
If your mobility aid is suited to bus travel, you will be given a 'Mobility Aid Card' which you can keep with you and show to bus drivers so they know your device is suited to bus travel.
If you want further advice or have any questions about the scheme, including whether or not your mobility aid is suitable for bus travel, please call the Travel Mentoring Team on 0203 054 4361 or email travelmentor@tfl.gov.uk.
Buggies
All London bus routes are served by low-floor, wheelchair-accessible, buses which means that they are designed to provide easy access and onboard space, specifically for wheelchair users and buggies.
If you get on a bus with a buggy, and the wheelchair space is available, please feel free to use it. If a wheelchair user wants to board the bus, however, you might be asked to fold your buggy up or move it to another part of the bus. Wheelchair users have priority over anyone else in this area because it is the only place for wheelchairs to travel safely.
Please remember that, for safety reasons and general passenger comfort, buggies cannot be left in the middle of the bus.
As a buggy user, you should be able to board any low-floor bus, unless the driver thinks that it is too crowded for you to travel safely. You will only be refused entry to board a bus if it is really necessary.
Single buggies should be wheeled through the doors at the front of the bus towards the wheelchair area. If a single buggy is too wide to fit through the doors and down the aisle, it must be folded up.
If you are using a double buggy, it's fine for you to get on the bus at the back exit doors, but please check with the driver first.
Assistance dogs
There is no limit on the number of assistance dogs the bus driver can allow on the bus, as long as there is space. London Buses welcome all assistance dogs, including guide dogs, hearing dogs, fetch and carry dogs, mental health companion dogs, and dogs that can sense when their owner is about to have an epileptic fit. All we ask is that your dog does not block the gangway.
