More than 25,000 people sign petition to reinstate female bus driver sacked for being ‘too short’

More than 25,000 people have signed a petition in support of a five-foot tall bus driver who was sacked because she was ‘not tall enough’ to use the wing mirrors safely.

Fifty-seven-year-old Tracey Scholes has driven buses for thirty-four years and was one of the first female bus drivers in Manchester. However, when Go North West changed the model of bus used on her route, the mother-of-three was found to lack the ‘capability’ to drive the vehicles safely.

The position of the new buses’ wing mirrors meant that Tracey, from Heywood, had to lean around a pillar to see them, meaning she could not keep her feet safely on the pedals. 

Because of this, Tracey was offered a different position driving the company’s school buses, though it would mean a reduction in hours worked and pay.

Tracey Scholes / Facebook

The company also offered the bus driver her current pay rate but with reduced hours, which meant she would still be losing around £230 a month, the Unite union said. She turned down both positions and was subsequently given her notice.

Tracey’s story was quick to go viral and has since gained the support of celebrities including actors Maxine Peake, Julie Hesmondhalgh and James Quinn. And now, a petition set up in support of Tracey has gained a massive 26,784 signatures at the time of writing.

The petition’s objective states that it is calling on the company ‘to reinstate Tracey Scholes with no loss of pay/no loss of hours and show that ‘Go-Ahead Group’ values loyal key workers’.

The description reads: “Tracey Scholes has been a bus driver at the Queens Road depot for the past 34 years. When Tracey started her journey as a bus driver in 1987 she was the first female bus driver employed at the Queens Road depot.

“The industry back then was very male dominated and a woman taking a driving position was challenging to say the least however Tracey took the challenge and has had the full respect of all her colleagues.

“Tracey is a hardworking, loved and valued member of the NW/5/4 Branch and the Queens Road family who deserves to be commended for her years of service to the traveling public of Greater Manchester.”

Tracey has described the support as ‘overwhelming’, with her telling The Guardian: “I’ve got three children, I’m a widow, and I’ve got a mortgage to pay. I can’t take a pay cut.

“When I started that job thirty-four years ago, I could drive everything in that depot. And since they’ve done this, I can’t drive that bus now.

“If a bicycle or pedestrian was to walk up the near side of the vehicle … I can’t see that, it blocks my vision, and that’s not safe.”

Go North West has since addressed the incident, saying in a statement: “Tracey was a valued member of our team at Go North West and we are extremely sorry to see her go. The design of the mirrors on our buses was agreed after consultation with Unite some time ago. All our other drivers of similar height to Tracey are able to view them safely.

“When Tracey raised a concern with us, we made numerous proposals to accommodate her, including offering to put her on different routes, and different types of buses. Unfortunately, all our suggestions were rejected.

“Dedicated, experienced, hardworking bus drivers are difficult to find and so we would never act lightly in a situation like this. We are sorry that we were left with no choice but to bring this driver’s employment to an end.”

For more information and to pledge your support, visit the petition here.