Grace Willans wants to be allowed to take her trolley with her when she shops. 88555 Picture: MEGAN ROGERS
By CASEY NEILL
GRACE Willans is legally blind and 82 years old, but a City of Greater Dandenong bus driver recently forced her to find her own way home from a shopping trip.
The Dandenong North grandmother had taken a shopping jeep with her on the council bus since she started using its Community Care Service in mid-March. She said the drivers would normally help her lift it on and secure the trolley.
But on 28 September, on a trip to Dandenong Plaza, the bus driver told her and other passengers they could no longer bring trolleys.
Mrs Willans wasn’t sure if the rule also applied to Waverley Gardens so took her trolley with her to the centre the following Friday, 5 October, and was allowed on board.
But when she returned to the bus, the driver said the council had advised him he could not let her back on with her trolley.
“I said ‘how am I going to get home?’ and he shrugged his shoulders,” Mrs Willans said.
“I just stood there on the pavement and thought ‘what the hell do I do now?’. I didn’t know whether to cry or what.”
More than two hours later she finally caught a taxi home. She said she stood in line for the entire wait because other elderly people had been using a nearby seat.
“I couldn’t ask them to move,” she said.
Mrs Willans said she wasn’t told tolleys weren’t allowed when she was accepted into the council service, and she needed it so she didn’t misplace parcels or have to carry heavy items.
“You’re independent,” she said. “I’ve supported the Dandenong council, I’ve paid my rates … 58 years in a suburb deserves better than this.
“An old woman shouldn’t be left alone and told to get home the best way she can.”
Mrs Willan said she’d spoken to the council and was told the trolley could be a flying object in the bus, and she should get a walker for the bus trips or use a council-run car service instead.
City of Greater Dandenong community services director Mark Doubleday said the matter had been investigated and would be followed up directly.
“Any misunderstanding regarding the nature of the service will be clarified directly,” he said.
“Council does not allow shopping trolleys and jeeps on our eight-seat buses due to OHS, safety and space issues.”
Mr Doubleday said the council-subsidised service helped older residents stay independent and keep their quality of life.
“It provides transport for older residents to access services like banks and pharmacies, and perform light shopping,” he said.
“It’s a referred-only service and there is an assessment before clients are approved to use the service.
“Part of that assessment is a client’s ability to use the bus independently.”
He said the service was not suitable for clients with mobility issues but the council also had an assisted shopping service.
