Pregnant Ladies, Parents and Public Transport

[akash36]

Hello Pregnant Ladies and Parents,

I am currently a undergraduate student at Coventry University studying Transport Design. As part of one of my assignments, I have been researching "Parents and Mothers to be: the problems they face on public transport". The focus of this assignment is on redesigning the interior of buses/trains to make them easier and more assessable for pregnant women and mothers.

So far I have found that the main worries and concerns for parents and mothers to be are:
• Unhelpful staff/ bus drivers
• Passengers pretending not to see them and not offering them their seats
• Seating often too low making it difficult to stand up
• Trouble lifting prams onto train/buses

I would greatly appreciate if you can complete my questionnaire (see bellow) in order to help me further my research.

Please feel free to talk about personal experiences and any additional information you may be willing to share.

Thank you for your time and help

Questionnaire for Pregnant Women and Parents

How often have you travelled on public transport when pregnant or since having your baby? And for what purpose?



What do you need to carry when you go out?



What are your likes/dislikes about travelling on public transport?



How do you find other passengers react towards you and your child?



Have you ever had to stand when you were pregnant?



Do you feel anxious about asking people for there seats?



How are the baby changing facilities at Stations? Are they clean? Is there enough space?



Are the seats comfortable on train and in station? Not too much pressure on back, bladder?



Do you have trouble lifting the pram onto the vehicle?



Is there enough space to put the pram? Is it comfortable enough? i.e. have baby facing you?



On trains do you pre-book? Do you know which carriage you need to be getting on if you don’t?



Are the staff generally helpful?



Do you have any suggestions on how public transport could be redesigned and redeveloped to make it kinder towards Mothers and Mothers to be? And would this make you use it more?



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It will benefit me greatly and hopefully one day it will benefit parents and mothers to be too.

Thank you once again.

 

[marley2580]

Questionnaire for Pregnant Women and Parents

How often have you travelled on public transport when pregnant or since having your baby? And for what purpose?
Not very often, I try to avoid it


What do you need to carry when you go out?
Not a lot now, but when she was younger I had - pram, changing bag, handbag.


What are your likes/dislikes about travelling on public transport?
Busses are always late, trains are too full etc


How do you find other passengers react towards you and your child?
Most are nice and helpful


Have you ever had to stand when you were pregnant?
no, but i don't use it often. I have had to stand on a train with my baby in a car seat. Luckily she slept the whole way


Do you feel anxious about asking people for there seats?
I would never ask anyone for their seat.


How are the baby changing facilities at Stations? Are they clean? Is there enough space?
Don't know, I usually stand at freezing bus stops


Are the seats comfortable on train and in station? Not too much pressure on back, bladder?
No, they're awful on the back, especially bus seats


Do you have trouble lifting the pram onto the vehicle?
Yes, even with the kneeling busses, the bus is often too far away from the kerb to make it easy and if you're carrying shopping as well it's a nightmare. Trains are even worse and I have had to ask other passengers to help before


Is there enough space to put the pram? Is it comfortable enough? i.e. have baby facing you?
It's fine as long as you're the only one with a pram lol. I once had to sit in the guard's van because the only space on the train had a wheelchair user in it. That was not an easy journey.


On trains do you pre-book? Do you know which carriage you need to be getting on if you don’t?
I don't usually book if it's for an journey within Scotland. Its really hard to find someone to ask where you should get on.


Are the staff generally helpful?
Usually


Do you have any suggestions on how public transport could be redesigned and redeveloped to make it kinder towards Mothers and Mothers to be? And would this make you use it more?
don't know

 

[Sovereign]

Questionnaire for Pregnant Women and Parents

How often have you travelled on public transport when pregnant or since having your baby? And for what purpose?

I tend to travel on the bus a few times a week, mainly to get to my mum's house or to see people.

What do you need to carry when you go out?

Not a lot yet cos i'm still pregnant, just my handbag usually, unless i've been shopping and have shopping bags.

What are your likes/dislikes about travelling on public transport?

The bus I get is fairly regular so that's good but I find it very cramped with a big bump and bags trying to fit into a seat and not get in anyones way.

How do you find other passengers react towards you and your child?

I'm still pregnant but people usually just ignore me - the odd person will make a comment about when am I due.

Have you ever had to stand when you were pregnant?

Yes but that was when my bump wasn't so big - you could still tell I was pregnant though.

Do you feel anxious about asking people for there seats?

I've never asked anyone for their seat.

How are the baby changing facilities at Stations? Are they clean? Is there enough space?

NA

Are the seats comfortable on train and in station? Not too much pressure on back, bladder?

NA

Do you have trouble lifting the pram onto the vehicle?

NA

Is there enough space to put the pram? Is it comfortable enough? i.e. have baby facing you?

NA

On trains do you pre-book? Do you know which carriage you need to be getting on if you don’t?

NA

Are the staff generally helpful?

NA

Do you have any suggestions on how public transport could be redesigned and redeveloped to make it kinder towards Mothers and Mothers to be? And would this make you use it more?

I think there could be some spaces where there is more room - well there is already but they are very open and so you have nothing to grab hold of if the bus stops suddenly. I was in a very cramped seat a few weeks ago when the bus slammed on and i ended up whacking my bump on the seat in front and having to go to hospital to be checked out. Luckily everything was fine.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[tasha41]

Questionnaire for Pregnant Women and Parents

How often have you travelled on public transport when pregnant or since having your baby? And for what purpose?
-- Nearly everyday, to get to college or back from it, to get to work if I need to


What do you need to carry when you go out?
-- Usually only my purse, but sometimes a second bag with books too.


What are your likes/dislikes about travelling on public transport?
-- Bus routes are convenient, buses arrive on time
-- Not enough forward facing seating for pregnant ladies, buses are often uncomfortably crowded, people on the bus sometimes smell, not enough seating sometimes for me to sit down (people don't give up their seats, etc)


How do you find other passengers react towards you and your child?
-- They really don't react


Have you ever had to stand when you were pregnant?
-- Almost everyday


Do you feel anxious about asking people for there seats?
-- Yes


How are the baby changing facilities at Stations? Are they clean? Is there enough space?
-- N/A for me


Are the seats comfortable on train and in station? Not too much pressure on back, bladder?
-- Yes


Do you have trouble lifting the pram onto the vehicle?
-- I've seen other people have difficulty


Is there enough space to put the pram? Is it comfortable enough? i.e. have baby facing you?
-- No, the baby would not be facing me on the bus, and it gets very crowded if there is more than one buggy or walker on the bus


On trains do you pre-book? Do you know which carriage you need to be getting on if you don’t?
-- Don't take the train


Are the staff generally helpful?
-- Yes


Do you have any suggestions on how public transport could be redesigned and redeveloped to make it kinder towards Mothers and Mothers to be? And would this make you use it more?
-- More forward facing seats, seats designated for pregnant ladies, just like how they have signs saying "these seats must be vacated for use of those with physical disabilities" etc.

 

[Bekkiboo]

How often have you travelled on public transport when pregnant or since having your baby? And for what purpose?

As I don't drive, and other half hates ferrying me around, public transport is something I regularly use.



What do you need to carry when you go out?

Now my boys are older, not a lot apart from my hand bag, however when they were babies I had to take pushchair, changing bag, handbag and when necessary my shopping.



What are your likes/dislikes about travelling on public transport?

Dislikes:

Rude, non english speaking drivers. ( One story I can tell you about this, a woman got onto the bus with her children, said to the driver ''2 secs, I left my bag at the stop'', went to get it and the driver drove off with the womans kids still on the bus and the mother stuck at the stop. Even with everyone shouting ''what are you playing at, you left their mother at the stop'' he still didnt realise what he has done!) Also when they don't wait for you to take your seat before driving off, most of the drivers round here barely wait for you to get on the bus! The smell of most buses is enough to make you sick, the way the bus vibrates when stopped at the lights etc, When people sit upstairs smoking drugs in a society where even though there are cameras the drivers are too frightened to say anything to them, if you can smell it, your kids are sure as hell inhaling it! People listening to their music out loud, regardless of the tiniest notices about not doing this, loud people on buses, especially when you have a headache, grrrr shut up already... your mate is 2 inches from you, not 2 miles!!!! Crazy people on buses, they always sit next to me!! The queuing system at bus stops, I hate when you have been there for ages, first one in the queue and then the people who were raised without any manners turn up and inadvertently decide they have the right to get on the bus first, and when the bus stop you are getting off at is clearly packed and you know you will get bombarded because nobody waits for the bus to be unloaded these days before trying to get on, yet the bus driver is still adamant he must stop at the stop!! I hate the extortionate prices, one day it will be cheaper to get a taxi! Drivers who cannot be bothered to stop, changes in bus services after 6pm, why should I have to walk the remaining mile home when i've paid £1.50 for the privilege of taking the bus?
You know I could go on, but I won't....



How do you find other passengers react towards you and your child?

Depends how they are behaving, which is normally good! I do find that other mums with pushchairs do tend to be reluctant to shimmy the pushchairs over a bit when they know another one is getting on the bus, and if they are really stubborn, they with a rather small buggy ends up with 3 quarters of the pushchair isle, where as you with your slightly larger one ends up with the last quarter and half of it is sticking out in the isle, upsetting everyone who is trying to get off the bus as they have to squeeze through!



Have you ever had to stand when you were pregnant?

Yes all the time, although with my first pregnancy I didn't look pregnant and was too shy to ask for a seat, I once had to sit on the steps of a very over packed bus because I had really bad morning sickness!



Do you feel anxious about asking people for there seats?

Yes because people these days don't have respect for anybody and the possible return for a request for a seat frightens me... people can be mean!


How are the baby changing facilities at Stations? Are they clean? Is there enough space?

Most likely, although I steer clean from any public toilets, changing facilities etc as the last thing I want is my baby getting sick from bacteria...



Are the seats comfortable on train and in station? Not too much pressure on back, bladder?

They are the worst seats I have ever experienced, they are hard, awkwardly positioned and the material is disgusting and feels like Velcro which is not a nice feeling in the summer when it's just warm enough to wear a short sleeved top.



Do you have trouble lifting the pram onto the vehicle?

All the time, 70% of the time the drivers don't bother lowering the bus and if the wheel or something get stuck, the passengers to stare blankly at you like their brain has gone to sleep or something so you have to continue to struggle! Regarding the train station, I HATE the gap, what is with that?? You would have thought trains would have ramps attached to them by now, surely it would be difficult to put ramps that you can fold out and back in again??



Is there enough space to put the pram? Is it comfortable enough? i.e. have baby facing you?

On buses it depends how many pushchairs get on the bus, normally any more than 4 and your stuffed, on trains, only place i've ever seen that is roomy enough for a pushchair is the large area by the toilets, which absolutely STINK every time someone opens the door!



On trains do you pre-book? Do you know which carriage you need to be getting on if you don’t?

No idea, you will find me at the local station, going around in circles like a headless chicken, only staff about are on the opposite platform!


Are the staff generally helpful?

If you can find them!



Do you have any suggestions on how public transport could be redesigned and redeveloped to make it kinder towards Mothers and Mothers to be? And would this make you use it more?

Yes, we should all have our own soundproof booth's with built in air filtration systems and bean bag chairs, obviously make family size ones too....

 

[krissie1234uk]

Questionnaire for Pregnant Women and Parents

How often have you travelled on public transport when pregnant or since having your baby? And for what purpose?

Every day to get to and from work. Also for shopping at weekends as OH and myself do not drive.

What do you need to carry when you go out?

Not much at the moment, I am still pregnant with my first. Only handbag and whatever shopping I have.

What are your likes/dislikes about travelling on public transport?

I like the fact that there are plenty of buses servicing the main routes within towns.
I don't like the attitudes of some bus drivers, the way that school children are allowed to run riot on morning buses and bus drivers do not challenge them about their behaviour, the way that some bus drivers lack the ability to count (when allowing more passengers on the bus that they should according to the signs which are posted around displaying number of seated and standing passengers), how although the signs on a bus say to give the seat to an elderly or disabled passenger, heavily pregnant is not on the list and people will look blankly out of the windows when you get on a bus, how the bus drivers are very rude and have little to no customer service skills - it's like they have forgotten that you have PAID for the service and so should be treated respectfully.

How do you find other passengers react towards you and your child?

They don't react to me - they look the other way when the bus is packed.

Have you ever had to stand when you were pregnant?

More often than not, especially in the mornings when school children take all the seats and no one will give up a space for a pregnant person and a woman with children.

Do you feel anxious about asking people for there seats?

Yes, I wouldn't like to ask someone for a seat.

How are the baby changing facilities at Stations? Are they clean? Is there enough space?

NA

Are the seats comfortable on train and in station? Not too much pressure on back, bladder?

Don't travel on trains much, but the seats are very low and often hard and uncomfortable in the station. On the trains, some are ok - quite padded and good back support - but others are poor. They are all very cramped, my OH is very tall and he struggles getting comfortable. Now that I am pregnant, I feel the same way too.


Do you have trouble lifting the pram onto the vehicle?

NA - Although the buses round here do lower when a pram is boarding, and I know that they have an extendable ramp for wheelchair users.

Is there enough space to put the pram? Is it comfortable enough? i.e. have baby facing you?

NA - Again, there is space for only 2 prams/buggies on the buses around here and the bus driver will only allow two on at a time as there is no room.

On trains do you pre-book? Do you know which carriage you need to be getting on if you don’t?

Haha - not prebooked with a pram but have in general and the whole system is very confusing.

Are the staff generally helpful?

Bus drivers - some are lovely but I would not say helpful. Some are arrogant and rude.

Do you have any suggestions on how public transport could be redesigned and redeveloped to make it kinder towards Mothers and Mothers to be? And would this make you use it more?

Train bus drivers in customer service and the ability to manage awkward passengers well.
Add expectant mothers to the list of who gets priority seating. Train bus drivers to enforce this.
Wait until a pregnant passenger is seated before driving (they seem to do this for most elderly people, but not anyone else).
Provide more buses in the mornings to cover the school run so that there is a possibilty of a seat.

Thank you!

 

[lesleyann]

Questionnaire for Pregnant Women and Parents

How often have you travelled on public transport when pregnant or since having your baby? And for what purpose?

Monday - Thursday, College and Shopping



What do you need to carry when you go out?

Handbag and pram, changing bag, shopping


What are your likes/dislikes about travelling on public transport?

ITs always late, it smells really bad, people smoking on the top deck, school kids running about screaming


How do you find other passengers react towards you and your child?

they just look once then look away


Have you ever had to stand when you were pregnant?

Almost everyday, people look at me standing and then smile and turn away


Do you feel anxious about asking people for there seats?

i would never ask

How are the baby changing facilities at Stations? Are they clean? Is there enough space?

they are normally realy dirty and tiny

Are the seats comfortable on train and in station? Not too much pressure on back, bladder?

they can be ok when you can get a seat

Do you have trouble lifting the pram onto the vehicle?

yes the bus drivers are useless

Is there enough space to put the pram? Is it comfortable enough? i.e. have baby facing you?

you can fit 3 prams on our busses and most of the time there are 3-4 year olds is tiny buggys that fold down so small and compact and easy but refuse to move for a baby in a pram, and only 1 of the 3 can you sit next to your pram ortherwise you have to stand


On trains do you pre-book? Do you know which carriage you need to be getting on if you don’t?

dont use trains

Are the staff generally helpful?
as long as they get there money they care


Do you have any suggestions on how public transport could be redesigned and redeveloped to make it kinder towards Mothers and Mothers to be? And would this make you use it more?

buss drivers who would actully tell people to move, be quite, sit down and fold up those tiny buggys that the child is not always sitting in to let a pram on and like the disabled signs put pregnant ladys on there



p.s i answered these as a pregnant person and the fact i look after a 3-4month old baby every other weekend

 

[elm]

Hi,

Sorry there's not much point in me answering your questionnaire as I've not used public transport since I've been pregnant but am considering switching to in once I've had my baby (it's either that or buy a new car). My main concern re. public trasport is the safety of my baby while travelling. I'm not going to be using a pram / pushchair and will be using a wrap or similar baby carrier so there's going to be no protection for my baby if the bus (or whatever) stops suddenly.

I suppose this is the same problem as if there's no room on the bus / train to keep the pram / pushchair up.

Maybe a basic seat could be provided on public transport? It wouldn't have to be hugely sophisticated just something along the lines of what they put on shopping trollies - at least it would be something.

 

[sam's mum]

Questionnaire for Pregnant Women and Parents

How often have you travelled on public transport when pregnant or since having your baby? And for what purpose?

When I was pregnant I used public transport every day to get to work and back. I have only used it a few times since having my baby.

What do you need to carry when you go out?

While pregnant, nothing except work files, laptop and a bottle of water. Now I have a huge bag with nappies, change of clothes, snacks for Sam, wipes, bottle of water as well as handbag, shopping bags...

What are your likes/dislikes about travelling on public transport?

Having to travel to and from stations, bus stops with buggy, bags etc, and trying to get everything on and off with no help.

How do you find other passengers react towards you and your child?

People with other children tend to be very helpful even though they are usually in the same situation with too much stuff to carry. Others are usually friendly and I have been offered seats when travelling with Sam, but some can be very rude and treat you as if you're just there to get in their way. It was much worse while pregnant as commuters would just push me out of the way to get to where they wanted to be and I was always completely ignored when trying to get on buses while heavily pregnant with bags etc.

Have you ever had to stand when you were pregnant?

Every day on tubes, trains and buses. A couple of times I was offered seats but usually by elderly ladies who shouldn't have to be the ones giving up seats! When I was about 5 months pregnant I was standing on a bus on the way home from work and thought I was going to faint. I was clearly unwell and ended up having to kneel on the floor so I didn't collapse and was completely ignored by all the other passengers.

Do you feel anxious about asking people for there seats?

Yes - I have never asked.

How are the baby changing facilities at Stations? Are they clean? Is there enough space?

Haven't used them.

Are the seats comfortable on train and in station? Not too much pressure on back, bladder?

Train seats are comfortable enough - station seats are awful. Usually there are only hard metal benches at the station.

Do you have trouble lifting the pram onto the vehicle?

Yes

Is there enough space to put the pram? Is it comfortable enough? i.e. have baby facing you?

Unless buses are very empty there isn't enough space to put the pram - I have been asked to fold it up and carry it on which isn't easy with a buggy, bags and a baby on my own.

On trains do you pre-book? Do you know which carriage you need to be getting on if you don’t?

Couldn't pre-book commuter trains to London.

Are the staff generally helpful?

Yes, although a lot of the time they are busy

Do you have any suggestions on how public transport could be redesigned and redeveloped to make it kinder towards Mothers and Mothers to be? And would this make you use it more?

Seats designated for expectant mothers when they are needed, and drivers/staff who will ask other passengers to move/be more considerate where necessary

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It will benefit me greatly and hopefully one day it will benefit parents and mothers to be too.

Thank you once again.

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

Questionnaire for Pregnant Women and Parents

How often have you travelled on public transport when pregnant or since having your baby? And for what purpose?
Every day up until i was 36 weeks pregnant and about 3 times a week since my son has been born.



What do you need to carry when you go out?
Baby changing bad and pram


What are your likes/dislikes about travelling on public transport?

sometimes i cant get my pram on a bus because their are steps and no place to put a buggy so i have to wait for one to turn up which i can get on.

How do you find other passengers react towards you and your child?

Sometimes when people are sat in the pram section with bags and they really dont need to be there. They give me such dirty looks and watch me trying to struggle to squeeze the pram in next to them they just sit there staring

Have you ever had to stand when you were pregnant?

YES i had to stand at least 3 times a week even when i was 8 months pregnant.

Do you feel anxious about asking people for there seats?

Yea i never used to be but once i asked a lady and she said no i payed for this seat you will just have to stand. I was so embarrssed


How are the baby changing facilities at Stations? Are they clean? Is there enough space?

Nope at my station there arnt any and he has just been rebursihed!!

Are the seats comfortable on train and in station? Not too much pressure on back, bladder?

No when i was pregnant if i had to sit on a bus for a long time my back was so sore when i got up. I cried with the pain wuite a few times

Do you have trouble lifting the pram onto the vehicle?

Yes the drivers park so far away from the kerb that i sometimes have to lift the pram on.

Is there enough space to put the pram? Is it comfortable enough? i.e. have baby facing you?

There is enough space if your the only pram on the bus but if there is someone else with a buggy/pram or someone sittig there it is a very tight squeeze.

On trains do you pre-book? Do you know which carriage you need to be getting on if you don’t?

I dont pre book but i dont know what carriage to get on either

Are the staff generally helpful?

No once i asked a driver if he could please ask someone to give me up a seat and he said no there are plenty of seats upstairs. I was 8 months pregnant for chist sake!!

Do you have any suggestions on how public transport could be redesigned and redeveloped to make it kinder towards Mothers and Mothers to be? And would this make you use it more?

Yes inseated of saying the seats at the front are foe elderdly and disabled it should say for elderly,disabled AND pregnant women. Also people sat in the seats should be old to move and people sat in the pram section that dont need to be there should be told to move to.