Are you looking to set off on a road trip with someone who uses a wheelchair? Or perhaps you’re a wheelchair user, ready to get out and enjoy the accessible sites across the UK? We’re here to help. Planning and prepping in advance for a trip is essential, and even more so for someone who uses a wheelchair. More needs to be taken into consideration to ensure a comfortable and safe trip for wheelchair users, not to mention one that ensures the wheelchair user’s dignity, no matter where you’re going and what you get up to.
In this post, we’re going to offer our suggestions on what needs to be considered when planning a wheelchair accessible trip.
What to consider when planning a wheelchair accessible trip
Make sure you’re thinking about the following when preparing for a wheelchair accessible holiday or road trip to ensure its your best one yet.
Extra time
Wheelchair users and those with loved ones who use a wheelchair appreciate the extra time needed to provide a safe and comfortable experience. Getting in and out of a vehicle can take a little longer when using a wheelchair, as can using accessible facilities along the journey. Navigating through buildings and outdoor spaces may also take longer, especially if there are crowds, so allowing extra time for your day-to-day plans is also important to ensure a relaxed, fun trip.
Routes and transport
When embarking on a trip as a wheelchair user or with a person in a wheelchair, the vehicle you use is of the utmost importance. A WAV (wheelchair accessible vehicle) is a must, be it an up-front passenger WAV, rear passenger WAV, or drive-from WAV. This allows the wheelchair user to ride as a passenger in the vehicle or drive it with specific adaptations. We have a range of used and new WAVs in different configurations, all designed and adapted to ensure a comfortable and inclusive travelling experience for a wheelchair user.
You may wish to take other transport while on your trip, such as a train or bus ride. If this is the case, check beforehand that the stations, platforms and vehicles are accessible, and ask for help if needed. Public transport services should always be willing to accommodate with ramps and assistance, so let them know that you’ll be there and they’ll ensure accessible preparedness for your arrival.
The routes between your destinations are also important to consider when planning your trip. Make sure there are wheelchair accessible facilities along your route in case you need to stop. This means checking that a wheelchair user can get into the building and checking for stairs, wide entryways, and minimal to no obstructions. An accessible bathroom isn’t enough to ensure the simple experience a wheelchair user deserves, so if you’re a bit uncertain of the facility’s accessibility, give them a call in advance to check.
Parking
An often overlooked aspect of any outing for those who don’t use a wheelchair is the parking. A holiday rental home may be accessible, but what if the driveway is closed in on both sides by walls? While a person who doesn’t use a wheelchair may be able to get out of the vehicle with ease, a person in a wheelchair who needs to disembark from the side could be stuck.
This goes for any destinations or activities you attend on your trip, too. Always check in advance that the parking spaces or driveways allow for enough space so that a wheelchair user can get out safely and with dignity. Rear passenger WAVs will need a space that has enough room behind it when parked for a ramp, and side passenger WAVs will need the same, but at the correct side. Most public destinations should have specific accessible parking spaces, but it’s good to check how accessible those are.
Wheelchair accessible accommodation
It is absolutely essential to ensure the accessibility of your accommodation. Unfortunately, many rental owners will mark their property as accessible without actually considering if that’s fully true. An example of this is assuming their single-floor property with a slope leading to the door is accessible, while their bathroom is too small for a wheelchair to navigate in.
If you are not a wheelchair user and this is your first trip with a person who uses a wheelchair, then it’s important to consider elements you may not have previously thought of. Here are some things to look out for in your accommodation, but remember that they may differ from person to person:
- A spacious bathroom for manoeuvring.
- If necessary, bathroom grab bars and a wet room.
- No stairs, unless there is a functioning chairlift.
- Wider hallways and rooms.
- Accessible entry and exit points.
- Spacious parking.
- Open space with minimal obstructions.
- Flat flooring.
There are many more adjustments that can make a rental home, hostel, or hotel more wheelchair accessible, so plan with the wheelchair user if possible to ensure you’re looking for properties that tick every box needed for their comfort and dignity.
Destinations and activities
Just like with your accommodation, check in advance that the sites you want to see are accessible for wheelchair users. This includes the standard check of accessible facilities, layouts and parking, but also transitions into the activities themselves. Ensuring that whatever you’re doing is accessible is essential so that everyone has fun.
Fortunately, there are many activities today that welcome people of all abilities, from adapted horseback riding to beach buggies that allow for sand and sea fun. May plan road trips and holidays around specific wheelchair accessible events and activities, ensuring an enjoyable experience from the get-go.
If you are going on a trip as a family, perhaps with a child who uses a wheelchair, it’s essential to speak to your children about what they’d like to do. While many destinations are accessible, not all are, and some of those inaccessible activities might be high up on the list of your non-disabled child. Discuss with your kids and find out what everyone would like to do to make their trip the best yet, and plan around potentially occasionally splitting up as a group to ensure everyone gets to have fun without anyone feeling left out. This is entirely dependent on who attends the trip, so speak to everyone involved and make a fair plan that everyone can agree on.
Wheelchair accessible vehicle
A wheelchair accessible road trip can’t happen without a WAV. Be it a passenger or drive-from WAV, Ransome can help you find the perfect accessible vehicle to see you off on your journey. Your trip should be fun, comfortable, and, most importantly, able to be enjoyed with dignity; a properly adjusted and equipped accessible vehicle is a great starting point.
The Ransome team is also here to help with any maintenance, repairs and MOTs needed for your WAV, with technicians highly trained in adapted vehicles at the ready.
Enjoy your wheelchair accessible road trip
Wherever you choose to go on your trip, we hope you have a fantastic time. By planning ahead, checking your accommodation and destinations, and allowing yourself the time to move at your own pace, you’re sure to have a wonderful time away. For more advice about the best WAV for an accessible drive, give us a call on 01473 727263 and we’ll be happy to help.