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Home > Travel > Articles > Are there any good websites that help you organise holidays for the disabled, especially in the UK

Are there any good websites that help you organise holidays for the disabled, especially in the UK

01:00 Mon 25th Feb 2002 | Travel

Asks Mable Jackson

A. There are quite a few good ones that all offer different services e.g. transportation and travel around the UK; booking and planning a trip abroad; organised tours etc. It really depends on what type of holiday you'd like to organise. Some of the best sites include the following:

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Wheelchair Travel

Telephone: 01483 233640

Email: [email protected]

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Wheelchair Travel provides private transport for disabled travellers in the UK - and specialises in providing a unique service to solo travellers or those travelling in small groups. They specialise in wheelchair-accessible cars and minibuses offering both self-drive rental, and private hire/transfer and tour services. They currently run a fleet of 36 vehicles and most are available to drivers over 25 for any period for both domestic and continental use.

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As well as domestic clients Wheelchair Travel has built a reputation worldwide with the majority of clients coming from North America, where disabled travellers visiting the UK can hire an adapted car or minibus at Heathrow or Gatwick airports. It has also worked in conjunction with Cunard, Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, P+0, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways.

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Its fleet of vehicles include minibuses (all with power lifts, wheelchair securing apparatus, safety harness and up to 7 seats, all with lap and diagonal seat belts); and estate and hatchback cars with permanently fitted-hand controls for disabled drivers (which no other car hire company in the UK offers) - most can be fitted with left-hand controls for non-UK drivers, and some even have left-foot throttle for post-polio or CP clients.

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Any vehicle can be delivered anywhere in the UK - and it does particularly good business providing vehicles for overseas travellers arriving at the UK's major airports - Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester airports.

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In addition, Wheelchair Travel's taxi/tour service uses luxury lift-equipped minibuses and they have recently added 2 new accessible Mercedes that will take 16 able bodied passengers, or 10 sitters and 4/5 wheelchair users. These will undertake simple airport/ship/hotel transfers, or full day tours of London and other cities.

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Prices start at �42 per day for cars fitted with hand controls for disabled drivers.

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Travel Guides.com

Travel Guides.com is a great site to check out if you are planning a trip for a disabled traveller for the first time as it offers loads of tips on how to get the best transport, accommodation, care on flights etc possible.

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It has a great checklist of things you should consider before planning the trip, these include getting the exact details on limitations of mobility e.g. whether transfer from a wheelchair to a vehicle is easy or difficult; the exact size of the wheelchair; if special dietary requirements are necessary; or if the disabled traveller's legs have to be extended during travel (as this will effect the allocated space on a plane for example).

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Global Access

Is a website that was set up for disabled travellers to share their travel experiences online - and offer tips and guidance for fellow travellers. It has special sections on travel resources (books, websites, organisations), passports, choosing an airline, choosing a travel agent, booking hotels, packing, health, oxygen dialysis and taking an attendant. This site is also good for travellers wishing to travel outside the UK as it has sections on the US and Canada, Asia and Europe.

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Disabled Travels

This site provides free, detailed information for travellers with disabilities and their carers on the facilities provided by hotels in the UK and abroad.

It provides the only international register of the facilities provided by individual hotels for the disabled traveller. It also lists all the UK organisations offering holiday opportunities for the disabled.

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In addition, this site provides a forum for the public to inform hotels on how they can make a few simple adjustments to their building or services, to make a disabled person's stay more enjoyable and hassle free.

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Further information on travel for disabled people is available from:

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The Disabled Living Foundation, 380-384 Harrow Road, London W9 2HU. Telephone: 020 7 289 6111 (publication orders); 0870 603 9177 (information); minicom: 0870 603 9176; e-mail:[email protected]; website: http://www.dlf.org.uk.

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The Royal Society for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADAR), 12 City Forum, 250 City Road, London, EC1V 8AF. Tel: 020 7 250 3222.

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Medical Clearance Unit, British Airways Plc, Health Services (HMAG), Waterside, PO Box 365, Harmondsworth UB7 0GB. Telephone: 020 8 738 5444; website: http://www.britishairways.com/health

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Information on facilities for the disabled in the UK is available online from the British Tourist Board at http://www.visitbritain.com/ca/beforeyougo/byg-13.htm.

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If you have any other Travel questions, please click here

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By Karen Anderson

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