The government minister in charge of public transport has defended bus chiefs’ position in the row with a Ramsey man.

Eric Corkish has been involved in a bitter dispute with Bus Vannin and the Department of Infrastructure over the ban on certain types of mobility scooters.

Former Ramsey commissioner Mr Corkish is now seeking to take Bus Vannin to a tribunal.

He was allowed to try out his mobility scooter on buses in an ’informal’ trial last year, but transport bosses ruled that it was not safe.

Infrastructure Minister Tim Baker was called on to publish the findings of that trial.

But in response to a written House of Keys question from Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey), he said: ’The testing of buses by one passenger with a mobility scooter was an informal trial and as such, there is no "formal" report to publish.’

However, he said the problem was the scooter did not remain still during the bus journey and no restraint system was availability.

He added that ’only one of the many class two mobility scooters provided by a local supplier actually fitted on the bus’ .

Mr Baker said part of the problem was due to the lack of a common standard in the mobility industry.

’For wheelchairs, including powered wheelchairs, a prescribed design for both size and weight is internationally agreed,’ he said.

’Buses are manufactured to ensure that wheelchairs meeting this standard fit safely on the bus and are restrained so that the passenger can safely travel. In contrast there is no equivalent framework for mobility scooters.’

There is a voluntary code on acceptance of mobility scooters on low floor buses - under the Confederation of Passenger Transport Code of Practice - adopted by the ’big five’ bus operators in the UK.

Mr Baker said that was where risk assessments had determined that Class 2 mobility scooters could be carried safely on the routes and vehicles that they operate, without the need for a restraint system.

He added: ’The ability to restrain the scooter during the journey would be necessary for a scheme similar to the code to be adopted on the island.

’Industry advice is that buses equipped with such a system are three to five years from production.’

He said the department was committed to buying buses that were certified to carry the scooters once they are available.

Mr Corkish revealed last month he had been seeking mediation with Bus Vannin through the Office of Fair Trading but it had been unsuccessful, so he was now seeking a tribunal ruling on the ban.