Motoring to be made easier for disabled drivers by Highways England

In a recent article released by News Motability, it was detailed that 2021 could see the introduction of new accessibility additions to many motorway services including toilets, parking, petrol stations, shops and restaurants. The improvements are being made to make motorways and A-roads easier and more accessible for a disabled motorist to use with ease.

“More than 100 service areas will be assessed on the accessibility of parking, toilets, petrol stations, shops and restaurants. Watford Gap motorway service area has already been assessed and the plan is to launch 113 Virtual Access Guides on England’s motorway service areas in early 2021. The guides will include 360-degree imagery so disabled motorists can see in advance the route to facilities such as accessible toilets.”

The collaboration is a partnership between Highways England and the Accessible App which gives disabled drivers across the UK access to information about thousands of venues in advance. There are also new initiatives being introduced to ensure British Sign Language users can access the same information using Sign Live.

“The free service connects deaf users with a professional BSL interpreter; they will contact Highways England on their behalf and then translate the conversion. Around 150,000 people in the UK use British Sign Language as their main means of communication. Both initiatives have come from Highways England’s Roads for All Forum, which was established in 2018.”

This change comes as the number of disabled drivers falls, making up 5% of the driving population. If you or someone you know is reliant on a stairlift or mobility aid, this new initiative could be a real progressive step forward and boost confident motoring for all.

This news article is from Companion Stairlifts. Articles that appear on this website are for information purposes only.