Early OAP thrown off bus

Retired painter and decorator Harry Woolhouse, aged 69, claimed the bus arrived sixty seconds early so he stepped on board.

But he was shocked to be ordered off the bus by an "aggressive" driver who said his senior citizen's pass was invalid.

The Stagecoach bus company have since sent divorced father-of-two Harry a letter of apology. Bus passes for pensioners can be used from 9am and Harry's 229 bus to go the six stops from his home in Melton to Wath upon Dearne arrived at 8.59am, one minute before the scheduled time.

Mr Woolhouse says the driver refused to give him any leeway and to add insult to injury the bus even stood for three or four minutes at the stop after he was turfed off.

He said: "I was talking to some friends across the road when the bus came. I got on the bus and showed my pass.

"The driver said "You can't use that". I replied: "Excuse me, don't blame me because you are early.

"I pointed to my watch and said it was the bus that was early but he just shouted "get off."

"By the time we had the conversation it was after nine but I was still ordered off the bus.

"I've never been so humiliated in all my life. The bus driver just didn't want to know. I couldn't believe he was being so rude. I was shocked by the way he spoke to me."

Mr Woolhouse said he complained immediately about the incident last Friday but then got a phone call from the depot accusing him of being abusive to the driver - which he denies.

The pensioner then received a hand-written letter of apology from Shayne Howarth, assistant operations manager at the Rawmarsh depot, saying he was "very disappointed" at the "alleged poor attitude" of the driver.

Rupert Cox, commercial director of Stagecoach Yorkshire said: "We take such matters very seriously and carried out a full investigation. The company places great store on customer care and I am sorry that we slipped below our usual standards on this occasion.

"We can only apologise again for any upset caused to Mr Woolhouse but to be fair to all it is a rule we have to enforce."

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