PM Highlights Importance of WAVs

03/03/2010

The Prime Minister has highlighted the importance of fully accessible vehicles in meeting the needs of wheelchair users. 

Gordon Brown saw a variety of wheelchair accessible cars, people carriers and minibuses being built during a visit to Allied Mobility’s manufacturing plant in Glasgow.  He spent time meeting several shop-floor workers on the assembly line, as well as holding discussions with directors about current issues affecting transport for disabled people. 

Growth

Over the past five years Allied, in partnership with Motability, has helped transform availability of wheelchair accessible vehicles across the UK.

By developing new models, buying base vehicles in large numbers and improving efficiency of production, Allied has been able to drive down Advance Payments, which previously presented an insurmountable barrier to many people who needed a wheelchair accessible vehicle to get about.

Over the past five years the number of people enjoying the benefits of a wheelchair accessible vehicle through the Motability Scheme has increased three-fold.  Allied Mobility is now the largest supplier of wheelchair accessible vehicles through the Scheme.

Praise

The Prime Minister witnessed the extensive engineering, production and customer support facilities at Allied Mobility and was impressed by the company’s range of wheelchair accessible products.  He also particularly praised the firm’s commitment to training and development, including its support for modern apprenticeships. 

“You’ve certainly got a very enthusiastic young workforce here,” said Mr. Brown. 

Paddy Tonner, an assembler in the wheelchair accessible vehicles team, was one Allied’s staff members who was surprised to find himself chatting with the Prime Minister. 

Paddy comments: “I was working on the conversion for our new Vauxhall Venture, which is an automatic wheelchair accessible car,” explains Paddy. 

“The PM came over to me and just asked how I was and how long I’ve been here.  He then asked me how long it takes for us to build a WAV and added that wheelchair accessible vehicles are very important because it makes such a difference to people’s lives if they can have their own wheelchair accessible car.”

Honour

Allied Mobility works closely with major manufacturers like Vauxhall, Citroen, Peugeot, Volkswagen and Fiat to produce an ever-developing range of wheelchair accessible cars, MPVs and minibuses.

The company continually seeks to strengthen its range of vehicles to address the needs of wheelchair and scooter users.  Among Allied’s most recent new wheelchair accessible models are the comfortable Volkswagen Vista MPV, which is available with automatic transmission; the next generation model of the record-breaking Peugeot Horizon car, which has the lowest Advance Payment on the Motability Scheme; and the Vauxhall Venture, on which Paddy was working.

“Of course it was a great honour for us to have the Prime Minister come and see what we do here,” comments Allied Mobility co-chairman, Michael Facenna. 

“Glasgow used to be known around the world for its engineering but unfortunately those traditional industries are now gone,” he continued. 

“However, I think the PM was delighted and perhaps a bit surprised to see how we’ve managed to create new manufacturing jobs here in the UK, at the same time as providing a range of wheelchair accessible vehicles at prices people can realistically afford.”

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