Outraged handicapped bus travellers who say they are constantly held up by mechanical faults to access ramps on Lisbon’s Carris buses held a determined protest this week, parking themselves in their wheelchairs in front of the number 736 to Odivelas. One of the protestors, Carla Oliveira, said problems happen “on a daily basis”. “Every time we need a bus, the ramp either gets stuck or doesn’t work at all.”
As Oliveira explained, handicapped travellers pay for their bus passes like everyone else, but end up being unable to use them effectively.
“It’s frustrating and emotionally very painful,” another member of the protest told Lusa.
Bloco de Esquerda MP Jorge Falcato supported the protest, telling reporters: “This practice of Carris, according to the law, is discriminatory because it does not offer the same conditions of access and use to handicapped people, and this cannot continue.”
The protest continued for over an hour, ending only after police arrived.
