HILPERTON mum Rachel Gallacher is furious, after a bus driver allegedly refused to let her on board because she had a pushchair – leaving her to wait in the cold with her eight-week-old baby.

The incident happened last Thursday morning, when the mum-of-two was trying to board the X34 Faresaver service to Trowbridge.

“I was on the bus stop on Horse Road and it arrived on time, so I can’t criticise that,” the 31-year-old said.

“When it did turn up, there were already two pushchairs on board and one of the women said she could collapse her buggy so I could get on. Before I knew it the driver said he didn’t have time, shut the doors and drove off.

“I wasn’t asking anyone to get off the bus. My daughter Chloe is only eight weeks old and I think it is disgraceful. I have complained to the bus company because of the driver’s attitude alone.”

Miss Gallacher, who lives in nearby Hanewell Rise, was on her way into town after dropping her son Brandon, four, at Hilperton Primary School. She is furious that a trip that should have cost her £2.20 for a return bus fare ended up leaving her with a £6 bill, after she had got a taxi into Trowbridge instead – money she hopes to claim back from Faresaver.

“I was completely discriminated against. There was an opportunity for me to get on the bus but because he said he was going to be late, he closed the door and left. He didn’t care if I was going to be late for anything.

“Even if they put on one extra bus an hour it would make such a difference. My daughter is eight weeks old and she is in a car seat pushchair buggy, which doesn’t collapse as easily as the ones already on board and she is a newborn baby – she shouldn’t have to wait out in the cold.”

Since she contacted Faresaver, the bus company has agreed to pay the cost of her taxi. Now Miss Gallacher hopes the incident, which she said had happened on a previous occasion after she stood politely aside to let other people get on the bus before her, will not be repeated.

Daniel Pickford, general manager of Faresaver, said: “We trust the judgement of driving staff to ensure the safe operation of the buses. Whilst there is a wheelchair space provided on each bus, if this is full we cannot risk blocking the emergency exits and obstructing the flow of passengers on and off the bus. It is unfortunate that there was not enough space for the pushchair, but we have recently experienced an unforeseen increase in usage following the cancellation of a service provided by First Bus. Buses with larger capacity will arrive with us shortly to assist in coping with these increased loadings.

“As way of apology we have advised the passenger affected that we will reimburse the taxi fare she incurred.”