Paris bus driver kicks off passengers for refusing to make space for wheelchair user

Francois Le Berre, pictured, who has multiple sclerosis, could not get on a Paris bus because other passengers refused to move, until the driver forced everyone else off. Photo / Twitter

A Paris bus driver has been hailed as a hero after ordering all his passengers off the vehicle after they refused to make room for a wheelchair user to get on board.

Francois Le Berre, who has multiple sclerosis, was waiting patiently at a bus stop in Porte de Clichy in the French capital's suburbs.

When the bus arrived the access ramp was put up but passengers on board did not move to allow him space, leaving him stranded outside, according to the Daily Mail.

Spotting the problem, the driver shouted "Terminus", instructing everyone to get off, before allowing Mr Le Berre on board and driving off with him and his brother as the only passengers.

Mr Le Berre said: "Yesterday while waiting for the bus in Paris, I laughed because no-one wanted to budge.

"When nobody moved the driver got up and said: 'Terminus! Everybody off the bus!'

"After that the driver came to see me and said, 'you and your helper, you can get on, and the others, you can wait for the next one!'"

Speaking to France's Huffington Post, he said the bus driver had told him that "everyone might need a wheelchair one day".

After waiting for passengers to disperse he had come down to talk to Mr Le Berre and his brother and tell them they could get on the bus.

The driver did not know him and had no disabled family members but had simply chosen to show "a little civility", he said.

A group called Accessible Pour Tous - meaning Accessibility For All - shared the touching story on Twitter.

Paris's bus company asked for details so they could pass the group's good wishes on to the driver.

The tweet has been retweeted more than 5,000 times and liked more than 10,000 times and many users praised the driver's intervention.

One said: "The bus driver is a hero!", while another wrote: "Congratulations to the bus driver, but shame on the passengers".

Another user said: "Bravo to the driver who emptied his bus to allow the disabled person to get on.

"Good lesson. I hope the other passengers understood."

A further comment read: "I hope this action will be followed by lots of others. Let's change the view of those who don't see others."