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Doug Paulley. PIC: Ross Parry by Andreas Mullins http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/bus-firm-fights-disability-ruling-1-6163809 A bus company has said they intend to appeal a decision made by a Leeds judge to give priority seating to wheelchair users. First Bus Group have confirmed that they intend to appeal against the decision made last September to give wheelchair users priority over mothers with pushchairs. The original claimant Doug Paulley, 35, took the company to court after he was not able to get on a bus because a mother refused to move her pram, in fear of waking her child. The court ruling stated that it was an unlawful discrimination and awarded Mr Paulley £5,500, and asked First Bus to change their policy. Mr Paulley, from Wetherby said: “I don’t understand what they will gain. This will give a massively negative impression of the bus company to others.” He added: “I don’t see why there can be different policies in other parts of the country. In London they have to help disabled people find seating and move people if necessary.” A First Bus Group Spokesman said: “We recognise how important it is that bus services are accessible to all customers and our drivers are trained to act in accordance with our policy, which is to ask in the strongest polite terms to make way for the wheelchair user, which the driver did in this case. “A previous court decision on very similar facts decided that this approach was correct. There is therefore real uncertainty as to our obligations and we have decided to ask for permission to appeal as we believe it raises important issues for the wider industry.”