A BUS company has launched an investigation after a driver allegedly refused to transport a customer because he only had a £10 note.
The Arriva bus driver was filmed getting into a heated argument with passenger Bradley Williams on the number 12 bus in Penrhyn Bay, Llandudno, last week who apparently didn’t have the correct change.
Betfred manager Bradley, 23, said he tried to hand a £10 note over to the driver but because there was no change he was told to get off the bus.
Bradley then went upstairs and sat down, however the driver refused to move until he had got off.
One woman even offered to pay for his fare so that the service could be resumed, however the driver allegedly declined the offer and rang the police instead.
Video shows Bradley walking upstairs and sitting down as the driver follows him up and says: “You can’t pay, you’ll have to get off or else I’m calling the police.”
Bradley replies by saying he could pay and that tried to give the driver cash but the driver responds saying: “You can’t pay, you can’t pay.”
Bradley retorts: “You’re supposed to have change, not me.
“I’m gonna record ya mate because you’re making me feel alarmed and distressed, I’m trying to get to work.”
Another passenger is then heard saying: “Excuse me, if I pay for him then can we go?”, to which the driver proceeds to walk back down the stairs and call the police.
Bradley then decides to get off the bus to allow other passengers to get on their way.
However, as he passes the driver, he goes to grab his lanyard while asking: “What’s your name buddy, what’s your name?”
The driver refuses to let him see and then says “Go away, don’t ever touch me again yeah?”
While Bradley says: “I touched your badge, what will you do, what will you do? Threatening me are you buddy?”
A second video shows the driver beeping at Bradley whilst driving past him.
Bradley posted the video onto TikTok with the caption: “This driver wouldn’t accept my £10 note and then goes on a power trip.”
The video has gained over 808,000 views and almost 2,000 comments from social media users who had mixed reactions over the incident.
One person said: “Some bus drivers have an attitude problem.”
Another wrote: “How’s it a private vehicle when it’s public transport? I’m confused.”
However, a third commented: “It’s not the drivers responsibility to have change it’s the passengers responsibility to have as close to the correct fare as possible, the driver doesn’t carry a safe about with change he only has what passenger give him if everyone comes on with £10/20 pound notes.”
A fourth added: “You had no right touching him at the end.”
Speaking today, Bradley said: “I woke up quite late and rushed for work, I ran to the closest bus stop with like a minute to spare.
“The bus pulled up and I only had a ten pound note on me, I presented my money to him and his reply was ‘What do you want me to do with that?’
“I kindly asked him if he could change it, he told me to run to the shop, that he’s not obligated to carry change.
“I then said if I walk to the shop now you’ll drive off and he said ‘yeah of course I will.’
“I said ‘listen, I’ve had this problem before and drivers just tell me to get on or issue me with a change voucher’ which he offered me neither and just told me I’d have to get off the bus.
“I told him that I have work and that if I’m at my work and somebody didn’t have the correct change, I wouldn’t just tell them to get out of my shop?
“I then proceeded to walk on and go up the stairs. He shut the engine off and shouted ‘we ain’t going nowhere as this lad can’t pay his fare‘.
“He then came out of his cabin to which I recorded him as I felt a bit alarmed and distressed.
“I was distressed by his actions and attitude and he soon changed once he saw that I was recording and I even had a lady offer to pay the fare too which he screams no and point blanks refused to take.
“Everyone on the bus was getting frustrated, including myself, so I just thought you know what, I’m going to walk and report him.
“He also beeped on the way past me going up the hill.
“I was late for work, I was annoyed, work wasn’t too impressed but they realised that it wasn’t my fault.
A spokesperson for Arriva UK Bus today said: “[We have had] confirmation from Depot Management that the alleged incident was being thoroughly investigated and therefore no further comment could be made at this time.”
