Doug’s fight wins him top award

DOUG Paulley, right, receives his award from SMK chairman Mike Schwarz

FORMER Hulme Grammar School pupil Doug Paulley has been named as Campaigner of the Year after he took on the bus companies over wheelchair access.

He picked up his title at the 10th annual SMK Awards — named in honour of campaigner Dame Sheila McKecknie — at the House of Lords.

Mr Paulley took First Bus to the High Court after a woman with a sleeping baby refused to move her pushchair from the wheelchair bay of a bus so Doug could use it.

The High Court ruled bus companies don’t have to have a policy to force parents with buggies to make way for wheelchairs. But firms were told they had to have awareness-raising campaigns, train their drivers in persuasion techniques, do surveys about which buses to put on which routes and have better signs.

Mr Paulley, who was awarded £5,500 damages from First at an earlier hearing, was one of 10 people honoured at the awards, which aim to develop the next generation of campaigners.

The 37-year-old Open University graduate, who has an illness which affects his nervous system, has also campaigned on cuts to essential services and benefits for disabled people.

He said: “I’m really pleased. It’s a bit weird because I do not really seek publicity for myself, but it’s nice, particularly because I was nominated by Transport for All which is an organisation I really respect.”