West Bromwich pensioner on scooter angry after he was told to leave tram
A pensioner on a mobility scooter has spoken of his anger after he was told he had to get off a tram.
Phil Taylor, from West Bromwich, was using the scooter because he had a broken ankle and was awaiting a heart bypass.
He was told to get off the tram in Bilston for not having a permit for his vehicle – even though he had caught another in it earlier the same day.
Mr Taylor, aged 72, then spent an hour and a half travelling towards his home, before he was picked up by his daughter and son-in-law.
Mr Taylor and his wife Rita had decided to head to Bilston Market on a shopping trip and had no problems catching a tram on the way there.
The couple then boarded another tram heading home. Retired council worker Mr Taylor, of De Marnham Close, explained: "I drove on. There weren't five people on the tram.
"I parked out of the way but then the conductor asked if I had a permit.
"I didn't even know you needed to have one and I've seen people whizzing on with no questions asked."
Mr Taylor said the conductor lacked 'compassion' and refused to take into account his circumstances. He asked him to depart the tram at the next stop, Loxdale, despite a plea from 71-year-old Mrs Taylor for the conductor to show some sympathy. She said: "I asked, 'can't you let him go to his destination? He's having a heart bypass and he's got a broken ankle'. But the conductor just said 'no, he's got to get off'."
A statement from Midland Metro said: "For safety reasons we ask customers to visit our depot and obtain a permit. This allows customers to board vehicles in a controlled stationary environment. We are sorry that Mr and Mrs Taylor were inconvenienced during their journey and that the levels of customer service were not as they expected."
