'Kneeling' bus helps the disabled
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THE first "kneeling" bus in this country has just been introduced by South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive. It is a Leyland National with the nearside front air suspension modified to allow the driver to deflate the air bag and thus lower the front of the bus by 10.2cm (4in) from its normal maximum height of 40.6cm (16in) in five seconds.
According to TRRL figures most of the 4 million or so old and disabled people who cannot manage high steps can board when the bus is "kneeling."
A sensitive strip is fitted under the step to reverse the kneeling action should a person's foot be trapped under the step.
The system has been approved by Leyland and patented by South Yorkshire PTE.
Safety interlocks ensure that the bus will kneel only when the doors are opened—which can happen only when the bus is stopped. When the doors are closed the air bellows are reinflated automatically.
The materials used in the conversion cost about £60. Air is exhausted from the front suspension through release valves.
The suspension is reflated through an additional air line. The new equipment can be fitted in about four hours.
South Yorks hopes to test "kneeling" buses in service soon. The system could be suitable for any air suspension vehicle, the company says.