A NORTH Berwick mum has criticised an East Lothian bus company after she abandoning her child’s £650 pram to get home.

Siobhan Rowan was travelling from Haddington to North Berwick after a swimming trip with her two young children and one of their friends.

On her journey to Haddington earlier that day, Siobhan had been allowed to take her pram onto the same bus service folded down, with other parents on the bus also with prams.

But she said that the return journey home was very different.

The 28-year-old told the Courier: “We had got on the bus in North Berwick with a group of people who all had prams, though only one wasn’t folded down.

“It just so happens that on the way home I was getting on the same bus with the same people and same configuration of prams [as the outward journey], and yet this time the driver didn’t let me on.

“He didn’t offer me any explanation at the time and said I’d have to wait for the next bus in two hours’ time.

“In the panic and fluster, I ended up leaving my pram on Haddington High Street so I could get on the bus with the children.

“Naturally, when I returned to get the pram, it was gone.”

Siobhan, of Law View, has two children – Junior aged two and Ruby, seven – and was also travelling with a friend of her daughter, who is nine.

The pram Siobhan left behind cost £650.

“The bus driver was so unsympathetic and rude, it was a horrible experience,” Siobhan claimed. “I was so stressed and just wanted to get the children home.”

Eve Coaches, based in Dunbar, has confirmed receipt of a complaint from Siobhan about the incident on their 121 service on February 14, but they dispute her claim that she was not allowed to bring a fold-down pram on board.

In a statement, the company said: “Following a discussion with our driver, we responded to the complainant the day after.

“Within this explanation, we enlightened the complainant that we are bound by legislation regards carrying wheelchairs, buggies and prams.

“It was extremely unfortunate that at the time the complainant and her family wanted to board the wheelchair bay was full.

“From discussion with our driver, the complainant could have folded the pram and placed it in the footwell of an empty seat without the need to leave her pram behind.

“We are extremely sympathetic that both parties got off on the wrong footing and the most logical and sensible options were not taken.

“We have now taken steps and informed our drivers that, in the event of the wheelchair bay being full, we need to give greater assistance to pram and buggy users to ensure they meet their travel needs.

“However, in doing this, we must never compromise passenger safety with loose prams and buggies blocking aisles and emergency exits. 

“We take very seriously any complaints and had the complainant got in touch with our office at the time of the event this situation would have been resolved without any risk of losing her pram.”