Open Road Access (ORA) has submitted its response to the UK Government’s consultation on powered mobility device regulation, calling for a more practical, user-centred approach to reform.
London, UK — April 2026 — Open Road Access (ORA), the accessible transport provider working across rehabilitation, healthcare and independent living, has responded to the Department for Transport’s consultation on reviewing the laws governing powered mobility devices, including powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters.
Drawing on direct input from its customer community, ORA’s response highlights a clear gap between the current legal framework and how powered mobility is used in everyday life.
At the centre of the submission is a simple message:
Changes must reflect real-world journeys — not just technical classifications.
Grounded in lived experience
To inform its response, ORA conducted a survey of powered mobility users and their families in March 2026, receiving 97 anonymised responses.
The findings point to a system that is not consistently supporting independence:
- Only 48.5% of respondents said it is easy to use their device wherever they go
- 1% said the current rules reduce their independence
- Just 22.7% said the rules increase independence
These results suggest that, for a significant proportion of users, the existing framework is not enabling mobility in practice.
Importantly, respondents did not frame their challenges in terms of legal categories or device classifications. Instead, they described the practical realities of navigating everyday environments.
Also Read: Accessibility In Taxi And PHV Licensing Reform In The UK
Everyday barriers, not abstract rules
Survey responses consistently pointed to environmental and infrastructure challenges as the primary barriers to mobility.
Participants highlighted issues such as:
- Vehicles are parked on pavements, blocking access
- Lack of dropped kerbs
- Uneven or poorly maintained surfaces
These are not edge cases — they are common, daily obstacles that directly affect whether a journey can be completed.
As one respondent described, the difficulty is not understanding whether a device is permitted on a particular type of space, but whether that space is usable at all.
This reinforces a key point in ORA’s response: The current framework does not align with the environments in which devices are actually used.
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When legislation doesn’t reflect real life
In some cases, the gap between regulation and reality creates more complex challenges.
One respondent — a wheelchair user expecting a baby — described being unsure whether there was a lawful or practical way to leave their home independently while carrying their child, given current restrictions around passengers and equipment.
The result is uncertainty at a moment where clarity and support are critical. ORA highlights this example as part of a broader pattern: situations where legislation, although well-intentioned, does not reflect how people live their lives.
These are not theoretical issues. They affect independence, family life, and the ability to participate in everyday activities.
From categories to journeys
The current legal framework is structured around classifications — different types of devices, and different types of spaces in which they can be used.
However, ORA’s evidence suggests that users are not primarily concerned with these distinctions.
Instead, they are focused on whether they can:
- Travel safely
- Access the places they need
- Complete a journey from start to finish
In practice, this often means moving across different environments — pavements, crossings, roads — within a single journey.
A system that treats these environments in isolation, without considering how they connect, risks creating fragmentation and uncertainty.
ORA therefore calls for a shift in approach:
from regulating devices in isolation, to enabling continuous, real-world journeys.
Clarity, flexibility and dignity
Alongside practical barriers, the consultation also considers the language used in legislation.
ORA supports the proposal to replace outdated terminology such as “invalid carriage,” emphasising the importance of language that reflects dignity and modern usage.
More broadly, the organisation highlights the need for a framework that is:
- Clear and intuitive
- Flexible enough to reflect different needs and contexts
- Grounded in the lived experience of users
Survey responses indicated that many users are unclear about existing rules or do not find them meaningful in day-to-day use. This suggests a need for simplification and reform.
Independence as the starting point
For ORA, the question at the heart of this consultation is straightforward:
Does the system enable independence?
Powered mobility devices are often the first step in a wider journey — enabling access to vehicles, public transport, work, education and social activity.
If that first step is constrained, the impact is felt across the entire journey. The survey findings reinforce this point. When over a third of respondents report that the current framework reduces their independence, it suggests the system is not consistently meeting its core objective.
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A shared direction of travel
ORA’s response aligns with broader evidence from across the sector, including research highlighting confusion around current rules and the need for a more user-centred approach.
Organisations such as the Wheelchair Alliance and TRL have similarly emphasised the importance of designing regulation around real-world use and outcomes.
This consistency of evidence points to a clear direction of travel: Reform is needed, and it must be grounded in how powered mobility is actually used.
Also Read: ORA Brings Accessible Mobility To Centre Stage At OT Show
Looking ahead
The Government’s review presents an important opportunity to modernise the legal framework for powered mobility devices.
For ORA, the priority is ensuring that proposed changes:
- Reflects real environments and journeys
- Supports independence and participation
- Avoids creating unintended barriers
Transport is often seen as a system of infrastructure and rules. For the people who rely on powered mobility, it is something more fundamental: the ability to move through the world with confidence.
“Our customers are not asking for complexity,” said Catherine Marris, Director of Partnerships, Policy & Impact at ORA. “They’re asking for a system that works in practice — one that reflects how they actually live their lives.”
Open Road Access will continue to engage with the government and stakeholders as the consultation process develops, bringing forward the voices and experiences of the people it serves.
About Open Road Access (ORA)
Open Road Access (ORA) is transforming accessible transport across the UK, providing flexible Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) and adapted car hire to individuals, families and professionals.
Working closely with the rehabilitation, healthcare and legal sectors, ORA delivers nationwide vehicle access with flexible terms — supporting independence, recovery and participation.
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