A DISABLED bus traveller is sick of feeling embarrassed when overcrowded and missing buses make him late for his volunteering role. 

Alex Trainor, from Sandiway, cherishes his independence, but his autism and dyspraxia can make him ‘panicky’ and 'nervous' when things don’t go to plan.

The 27-year-old volunteers regularly at Grozone, a community garden project at Dane Nurseries, and relies on the D&G Bus 82 Chester to Northwich service, usually around rush hours, to get him there.

While there is a train service, it's far less less cost-effective than the bus, which offers a discount on a weekly ticket, and Alex lives on a fixed income. 

Though the buses are easier on the pocket, Alex says the services he has to get at around 9.30am and 4.30pm are often full, late, or missing all together, meaning frequently has to rely on family members to get him out of a jam.

Alex thinks he shouldn’t have to do this as his independence is very important to him.

He find it ‘frustrating’ and ‘embarrassing’ when he’s either late into work in the mornings, or home for meals in the evenings, or is forced to call his dad to come and pick him up.

He said: “It’s really frustrating when the bus is there in front of you, but it either doesn’t stop, or the driver can’t let me on.

“Sometimes they just don't turn up at all. 

“I’m tired of being late for things. It’s embarrassing.

“I’ve very independent, and I’ve a very sociable person, so being able to get out and about is important to me.  

“I can also get panicked quite easily when unexpected things happen. It leaves me feeling really nervous.

“If it wasn’t for my dad, who is always willing to help in an emergency, I don’t know what I’d do. He shouldn’t have to though.

“Sometimes, if I’ve forgotten to charge my phone, I can’t even ring anyone for help.

“I’d much rather get the train, but it’s a bit expensive.

“I was talking to a woman at the bus stop the other day who had waited two hours and nothing had come.

“I’d like to see the service more frequent, especially at peak times. Either that or bigger buses. Or both.

“I just want to be able to count on it. Is that too much to ask? It’s not just for me – it’s for others too.”

D&G Bus came under fire in September for under-capacity on busy rush hour services, but the company claims there’s nothing it can do to improve this at the moment. 

Dan Flanagan, Cheshire area manager at D&G Bus, said: “We provide full size buses on this route with a capacity of around 70 seated and standing passengers.  

“These are the largest buses we have in our fleet and have been used on this service since we started operating it. 

“Regrettably, we don't have available resource at peak times to provide additional vehicles on the route, we can only carry the maximum number of passengers permitted for the vehicle.”