Tag: Motability

Fully accessible free half term days out in Scotland

As many families continue to tighten their belts, planning cheap accessible days out in Scotland is now easier than ever with the new Rough Guide to Accessible Britain. The Guide is available to read and download online for free now at www.accessibleguide.co.uk.  

Packed with over 200 reviews of attractions across the UK, the guide features many free attractions, including Glenmore Forest Park and the Callanish Standing Stones, the Rough Guide to Accessible Britain is an ideal planning tool to enjoy an inclusive day out.

In the heart of the Cairngorms Mountains, around six miles east of Aviemore, Glenmore Forest Park boasts one of Scotland’s few remaining tracts of ancient Caledonian pine forest. It is the site of Loch Morlich, whose long, golden beach is the highest in Britain.

There’s free blue badge parking, and two accessible trials to enjoy. The shorter 1.5-mile-long Beach Trail takes you along the edge of Loch Morlich and is accessible for mobility scooter or electric wheelchair users, while manual wheelchair users may require assistance at steeper sections.

On the banks of the River Clyde, the Riverside Museum, Scotland’s Museum of Transport and Travel, is a vibrant celebration of Glasgow’s importance as a transport innovator. Its collection of vintage and modern vehicles includes trams, busses, locomotives, motorbikes, and cars.

Much thought has been given to accessibility, with plenty of accessible parking spots, a drop off point, lowered welcome desk and two accessible lifts to the exhibits. Many exhibits are there to be touched to help enhanced the exhibit, allowing for an interactive experience for everyone.

A neolithic marvel in a wild landscape, the Callanish Standing Stones on the remote Isle of Lewis are older than the Pyramids, and rival Stonehenge for historic and acarological importance. Unlike many other ancient monuments, you are encouraged to touch the stones and roam around this atmospheric place. A car park with level access to the site provides easy access to the stones.

The refreshed, ninth edition of the Guide highlights venues that have gone the extra mile to make themselves accessible. Encouraging people to discover the best parts of the UK, the detailed reviews in the Guide are designed to empower anyone with a physical, mental health or cognitive condition to enjoy an accessible day out.

The Rough Guide to Accessible Britain has been created in partnership with Motability Operations Ltd, the company behind the Motability Scheme. The Motability Scheme enables over 650,000 customers to get on the road and the Guide supports the ethos of empowering disabled people to enjoy everyday freedom.

A new, refreshed ninth edition of The Rough Guide to Accessible Britain is now available via accessibleguide.co.uk. 

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For more information on leasing a car, scooter or powered wheelchair through the Motability Scheme, visit motability.co.uk or call 0800 953 7000.

The Big Event Online gets disabled drivers on the road – from the comfort of their own homes

Free and informative event available online for a limited time

The first ever online version of The Big Event saw 3,200 disabled people, carers and their friends and families tune in to learn about worry-free motoring with the Motability Scheme. The online event, which took place on 6-7 August 2021, was free to join and welcomed everyone from the comfort of their own homes.

For anyone who missed the live days, The Big Event content is still available online until 30 September 2021, simply visit: thebigevent.motability.co.uk.

The online event included a packed agenda of expert Speaker Sessions, providing helpful information and answering questions live on air. Hosted by Scheme customer and transport and travel consultant Helen Dolphin, these sessions proved extremely popular with over 5,500 views.

Topics discussed included electric vehicles, adaptations, Blue Badge fraud, challenges in the UK car market, WAVs, powered wheelchairs and scooters and the launch of the 2021 Euan’s Guide Access Survey. These informative and fun Speaker Sessions are available to watch on demand and can be found in the virtual Auditorium at The Big Event online. 

The event also showcased the UK’s largest online display of vehicles available on the Motability Scheme. Visitors were able to interact with exhibitors including Scheme partners such as Kwik Fit, RSA and RAC, as well as manufacturers who displayed popular makes and models available to lease through the Scheme.

This included 27 car manufacturers, 24 Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles and adaptation suppliers and 12 powered wheelchair and scooter manufacturers. Visitors were able to browse plenty of useful documents and videos, as well as connect with exhibitors through live chat. All this valuable information (apart from the live chat function) is still available to explore until the event officially closes at the end of September.

Louise Vranic, The Big Event organiser, Motability Operations Ltd, said: “It was great that so many visitors found The Big Event online useful and informative, and we were so pleased by the amount of content and support provided by exhibitors and Scheme partners.

“We knew it would be hard to replace our physical events, where visitors can explore vehicles first-hand and test drive them, but we hope this online event has helped to bridge the gap, as well as attracting visitors who have previously been unable to attend our physical events.

“We are looking forward to 2022, where we will be back with a mixture of physical and online events, so we can continue to bring our One Big Day programme to as many people as possible.”

To visit The Big Event Online head to thebigevent.motability.co.uk.

For more information on leasing a car, scooter or powered wheelchair through the Motability Scheme, visit motability.co.uk or call 0800 953 7000.

UK government partners with disability charity to set standards for electric vehicle chargepoints

  • standards will provide industry with guidance on how to make individual chargepoints more accessible by summer 2022
  • guidance will consider aspects such as kerb height, adequate space between bollards and chargepoints being of a height suitable for wheelchair users
  • partnership with British Standards Institute (BSI) and Motability will see chargepoints that are accessible for all as we accelerate towards a zero-emission future

The UK is accelerating towards a more inclusive, reliable electric vehicle (EV) charging network, as the government and charity sector come together to set accessibility standards, Transport Minister Rachel Maclean has announced today (30 June 2021).

In partnership with national disability charity Motability, the Department for Transport (DfT) has commissioned the British Standards Institute (BSI) to develop accessibility standards for EV chargepoints across the country. These standards will provide industry with guidance and drivers with a new clear definition of ‘fully accessible’, ‘partially accessible’ and ‘not accessible’ public EV chargepoints.

The design of public chargepoints is already carefully considered by operators. However, consistent standards are crucial for drivers to easily identify which chargepoints are suitable for their needs. This could range from adequate space between bollards, charging units being of a height suitable for wheelchair users, size of the parking bay and the kerb height.

Transport Minister Rachel Maclean said: “With sales of EVs increasing and the government’s net zero ambitions accelerating, I want to make it as easy as possible for EV drivers to charge up their vehicles at public chargepoints right across the UK, regardless of their mobility.

“We are taking action to provide accessibility guidance to both operators and drivers to make sure that the transition to zero-emission driving will benefit everyone in society as we build back better.”

Minister for Disabled People Justin Tomlinson said: “As we build back greener, this government is ensuring disabled people are at the heart of our plans.

“As electric vehicles become more popular it is imperative that disabled people have the same opportunities to access them as everyone else. The new accessibility standards for chargepoints will help make this a reality.”

The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), Motability and BSI will be working with industry stakeholders including EV chargepoint operators, disability charities and innovators to ensure that the consumer can find the right chargepoints for their needs.

Barry Le Grys MBE, Chief Executive Officer at Motability, said: “There is a risk that disabled people are left behind as the UK’s transition to electric vehicles approaches and Motability wants to ensure that this does not happen.

“We welcome the interest from government in our research on electric vehicle charging and accessibility and we are excited about our partnership with the Office of Zero Emissions Vehicles to further this work.

“We look forward to working together to create world-leading accessibility standards and to support the UK’s commitment to achieving zero emissions. Motability looks forward to a future where electric vehicle charging is inclusive for all.”

Motability is also working with Designability, a charity that creates products to enable disabled people to live with greater independence, to engage with disabled drivers and identify their requirements for accessible charging.

Catharine Brown Chief Executive at Designability said: “Accessible electric vehicle charging is an exciting area of innovation for government, industry and the charity sector. Designability welcomes this important drive towards standards that will make sure the needs of disabled people are taken into account as this new technology becomes mainstream.

“We are delighted to be working with Motability to create cutting-edge design solutions. Our expertise in working with disabled people makes us perfectly placed to find solutions to these everyday challenges – which will only increase as more people want to drive electric cars.

“To date over 1,000 disabled drivers have volunteered to feedback to Motability and Designability on how we can make electric vehicle charging accessible for all.”

Matthew Campbell-Hill, a former Team GB wheelchair athlete and member of the Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) England, said: “As an EV owner and motor vehicle enthusiast who knows how transformative inclusive infrastructure can be, I’m excited to learn of this cross-sector partnership between charity and government.

“I’ve experienced first-hand just how challenging it can be to use a chargepoint that hasn’t been built with disabled people in mind, and this work will ensure electric vehicle charging is accessible for all. I can’t wait to see innovation and change in this space.”

To ensure all interested stakeholders have the opportunity to come together and inform the standards, Motability will be holding a series of workshops on accessibility and electric vehicle charging in August.

If you are a charity working with disabled people or people with long-term health conditions and would like to know more about participating, contact innovation@motability.co.uk.

Disabled motoring event returns in 2019

Following this summer’s warm welcome and successful turn out The Big Event, the UK’s largest display of cars, scooters and powered wheelchairs for disabled people, will return to the NEC in Birmingham on 28-29 June 2019. Continue reading Disabled motoring event returns in 2019