This Supreme Court case was highly influential in clarifying the duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, specifically concerning the use of wheelchair spaces on buses. It concerned a bus company’s policy that allowed non-disabled passengers with buggies to occupy the wheelchair space if no wheelchair user was present, but did not require them to move if a wheelchair user later boarded. The Supreme Court ruled that a policy that did not require non-disabled passengers to move from the space when a wheelchair user needed it could be a breach of the reasonable adjustments duty. This case underscored the proactive nature of the duty to make adjustments and the need for service providers to take practical steps to accommodate disabled people
He was successful and Leeds County Court awarded him £5,500 in damages. The judge found that FirstGroup’s PCP placed Mr Paulley at a substantial disadvantage by comparison with non-disabled bus passengers.