By CASEY NEILL
GREATER Dandenong’s elderly residents now have more flexible access to shopping buses, following an incident that left a blind woman stranded for two hours.
On Monday night councillors resolved to add a shopping trip with an assistance officer or ‘jockey’ to its Community Transport Program, for those who need help getting on and off the bus.
The council will buy an additional 11-seater bus with a lift and cage to provide an extra shopping service at least once a week than can include shopping jeeps.
It will allow shoppers to bring two bags onto its buses instead of one.
The council will also buy a number of collapsible shopping jeeps for clients.
In October the Star reported that legally blind 82-year-old Grace Willans had to find her own way home when she took a shopping jeep on a council bus.
The Dandenong North grandmother had taken the trolley with her since she started using the Community Care Service in March last year. 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 week and was allowed on board.
When she returned to the bus, the driver said the council had advised him he could not let her back on with her trolley.
More than two hours later she finally caught a taxi home.
The council put the decision down to occupational health and safety and space issues.
Councillor Maria Sampey in November asked for a review of the system, which has resulted in the changes approved this week.
“This will improve the lives of the elderly,” she said.
“They will have a choice with regard to being able to take a jeep on the bus.
“They won’t be straining themselves with their load of shopping.
“It will stop the elderly being isolated and staying at home alone.”
