A DISABLED man from Oxford is threatening to take legal action against National Express after what he called a “diabolical” series of blunders.

Robert Light, who uses an electric wheelchair, has accused the coach company of letting down disabled people, because its system to help disabled passengers had constantly let him down.

Mr Light, 66, of Colemans Hill, Headington, said he had to turn around and come home again on an abortive trip to Bradford, West Yorkshire, and was left on his own in London to pay for a taxi and train to his destination on another occasion.

Disabled people can call a National Express helpline at least 24 hours before departure so that the company can ensure a suitably-adapted coach is available for their journey.

Mr Light’s problems began on May 21, when the wheelchair user caught an Oxford Tube service to London to board a pre-booked National Express coach to Bradford.

He said: “I got to London, to be told by the duty manager, after she phoned head office in Birmingham, that I was not booked – but I had a ticket.

“She told me that she could not get me on the next bus, because it was also not for the disabled and that there was nothing more she could do, so I had to go straight home on the Oxford Tube I had just come up on.”

On June 25, the same situation arose when Mr Light, who had pre-booked a ticket, was told he was not due to be on the coach.

He said: “I was told there were no disabled buses on the Bradford route at all that day and they asked me if I would make my own way to my destination.”

After paying £22 for a taxi from Victoria to King’s Cross and £57 on a rail ticket to Brighouse, near Bradford, Mr Light — who has severe sciatica, arthritis and osteoporosis in his spine, pelvis and hips – met two National Express customer relations representatives the following week. He said: “They told me that National Express had failed on this occasion.

“They said they would reimburse me for the cost of travel and I would hear from them in four weeks. That was six weeks ago and I’ve had nothing.”

He also suffered problems booking tickets with National Express in July, when he says a string of calls were not returned.

Mr Light said he had consulted a solicitor about legal action under legislation to prevent discrimination. He added: “To leave me in London like they did was just diabolical.

“I’m looking into legal action. I’m not going to stand for it. It’s not about compensation, they shouldn’t be able to do this to disabled people.”

A National Express spokes-man said Mr Light would be reimbursed for his train and taxi fares and added: “We offer our sincere apologies to Mr Light for his experiences.

“We will stay in contact with Mr Light to ensure future journeys are as smooth as possible.”