Bus chiefs slam the door on fraudsters and fare dodgers

Bus chiefs say Scotland's compensation culture has led to an increase in passengers alleging they have been injured as they leave the vehicle. The number of "hooded" youngsters sneaking on board through the rear door has also been blamed for the move.

Lothian Buses has decided to only buy new buses with a single door at the front where the driver can closely monitor passengers entering and leaving. And they are spending thousands converting old buses to single-door vehicles.

Company boss Neil Renilson said the move would lead to an increase in journey times but claimed the company had been left with no choice. In a letter to a trade magazine, Mr Renilson said Lothian, which transports more than 300,000 passengers daily, had become the victim of compensation culture.

He said: "We believe dual-door buses give significantly lower loading times by allowing simultaneous boarding and alighting.

"This was and still is our belief. Even though we believe dual-door is the best option, we are no longer able to pursue that policy and are having to convert to single-door.

"One of these factors is the substantially increasing claims culture, whereby large numbers of fraudulent claims are made, alleging the driver 'shut the centre door on me before I got off and bruised my arm and I want 500 compensation' or similar, which are submitted by lawyers working on a no win/no fee basis."

Mr Renilson said all compensation claims were investigated but sometimes difficult to defend.

"Unfortunately, in many cases we are unable to provide hard evidence to prove the incident did not take place as the centre doors are beyond the driver's line of vision. Even close-circuit cameras do not always give a perfect view, particularly on buses with standing passengers.

"The second factor is the increasing tendency, particularly of that sector of society so beloved of the Bluewater shopping centre management - the hooded top or Burberry baseball cap wearer - to board the exit door in order to avoid paying the fare."

Engineers have now been employed to convert all 184 double door buses in its fleet of 584 to single-door vehicles.

Lothians Buses was unable to provide details of how many compensation claims it had faced.

Councillor Alan Jackson, the Tories' transport spokesman, said the move was regrettable but understandable.

He added: "I have every sympathy for Mr Renilson but I think this is a sad reflection of society that measures like this have to be taken."

But Fred Tyler, of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, said statistics showed nationally there had been a reduction in the number of compensation claims. The Edinburgh-based solicitor said: "The idea of a compensation culture is a myth perpetuated by certain vested interests.

"There is no rise in compensation claims and we would never support fraudulent claims ever."

Does Scotland have a compensation culture?

Margaret Macdonald, 74, retired finance assistant, Baberton Mains Place: "It's certainly more prominent than it used to be. I think it's a good thing that people are more legally minded if they have a genuine claim."

Kenneth Wright, 48, engineer, Drumbae Drive: "I think we do have a compensation culture and I think we tend to follow the Americans in these things. I do health and safety for my job and have noticed that people do have a tendency now to claim for every slightest thing. But in a way it's a good thing because companies who didn't give a monkey's before do now."

Debbie Webster, 40, personal assistant, South Gyle Wynd: "You see all these ads on TV now where you can claim. Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. It's a bad thing because people who are doing it are keen to make money out of something that has just been an accident. It's fair enough if people have a permanent injury but there are too many exaggerating."