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Many schemes have been put in place to ensure those embarking on a trip to the West Country can travel throughout these beautiful counties with ease. To help make sure that those needing assisted travel can enjoy all that the South West has to offer, we’ve highlighted some of the assistance that you can expect from the transport industries in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset.
First Great Western operate train services that run throughout the West Country and run the Disabled People’s Protection Policy, which is provides information about the help available for those with assisted travel needs. There have been many refurbishments made to First Great Western Trains, including some significant improvements to disabled facilities, such as improved access to wheelchairs, improved signage and priority seating. A brochure highlighting these facilities is available from the company’s website.
South West Trains have a designated Assisted Travel Team who are trained in disability awareness and aim to ensure that those travelling with specific requirements can do so in a relaxed and dignified way. Their Assisted Travel Leaflet can also be downloaded from the South West Train website.
The Devon Access Wallet Scheme has been created to guarantee those travelling with special access requirements can do so without unnecessary stress or isolation. Particularly created for travellers with communication difficulties, including deaf people and those for whom English isn’t their first language, it enables staff to have a better understanding of their requirements.
Designed in an eye-catching florescent orange colour, the wallet includes documentation that outlines the specific requirements of the person travelling, allowing staff to assist them in whatever means necessary.
The South West also has a number of easy-access, low-floor buses that can accommodate wheelchairs; all of which include ramps and allocated wheelchair parking space. With a network of these buses operating throughout the major towns, including city centres, wheelchair uses should be able to travel throughout the counties with ease.
The Countryside Mobility Scheme allows visitors with mobility needs to hire all-terrain ‘Tramper’ scooters and wheelchair accessible ‘Wheelyboats’ in order to explore and enjoy the South West countryside with ease. Managed by a charitable organisation called Living Options Devon, this specially created transport is available to hire at various locations across the West Country.
For those who want to take in the glorious South West air, some of the coastal paths also offer easy access for visitors using pushchairs, wheelchairs and for those with limited mobility. There’s over 600 miles to explore and nearly 100 of it has good enough terrain to ensure no-one is excluded from experiencing this landscape. Guidebooks outlining suitable paths are available to download from the South West Coast Path website.
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