How wheelchair friendly car hire gives you the freedom to get out more

Have you ever considered hiring a wheelchair friendly car? Having access to a wheelchair accessible vehicle for a few days or longer can be a real game changer. It means you have the freedom to go where you want when you want. That can make a welcome change from having to depend on public transport, or navigating bumpy, uneven pavements trying to get where you need to be. Plus, it gives you the option of going further afield too.

Suppose you’re planning a wheelchair friendly holiday with friends and family. Why not consider hiring one of our wheelchair friendly vehicles so you can all travel together? We offer smaller WAVS that are the perfect size for a couple if it’s just the two of you going. We also have larger WAVS that can seat 4 or even 6 of you. So if you like the idea of a longer break with your favourite people, it’s easy.

In fact, if you are considering places to visit for days out or short breaks, we’ve got you covered. Our article on wheelchair friendly days out features some of the most popular accessible destinations in the country. Remember, our service is nationwide. No matter where you are in the UK, or where you’d like to visit, we can deliver a wheelchair accessible vehicle directly to you, to make it happen.

Making days out, short trips and holidays more wheelchair friendly

There are plenty of fantastic places to visit in the UK that are wheelchair friendly – from the scenic countryside to our historic cities. More and more are becoming fully accessible, which is a positive step towards equal access for everybody.

We want to see a world where there are no barriers to travelling if you use a wheelchair. In fact, that’s one of the main reasons why we offer a wheelchair friendly car hire service: to give people with differing mobility needs the opportunity to live a life without limits.

If you use a wheelchair, or one of your loved ones does, you can hire a wheelchair accessible vehicle from us – wherever you are in the country. You can rent a WAV from us for a day or up to a year, giving you the freedom to get out and about as and when you want to

Hiring a wheelchair friendly vehicle means everyone’s included

We always love to hear what a positive impact our WAV hire service has on people’s lives. For example, one lady left us a lovely review on Trustpilot. She explained how our wheelchair friendly car hire service enabled her to take her mum out for the day.

You browse our range of WAV car rentals

She told us that other WAV hire services she’d looked into imposed a minimum hire period of 3 days, which made the service too expensive for her. But as we offer wheelchair friendly car hire for anywhere from one day to one year, she was able to get a vehicle and enjoy some quality time with her mum.

“Open Road Access were head and shoulders above the rest…They were the only company to offer 1 day hire… and their prices were very reasonable. If I had to pay for 3 days every time I want to take my Mum somewhere it simply wouldn’t be affordable. But if I can hire for 1 day, that really is a game changer for us… We were worried whether we could still get mum out and about. This service enabled us to have a really special few trips. She had a wonderful time.”

Heather Waugh, March 2024

Read the full review here

3 wheelchair friendly features that all our vehicles have as standard

We want to make everyday travel more accessible for wheelchair users. Using a wheelchair shouldn’t be a barrier to going where you want when you want to. So, we offer wheelchair friendly cars for hire, to make it easier for wheelchair users to get out and about. Every vehicle in our fleet is fitted with a range of features specially designed to make your journey safe and comfortable when you want to

Access via ramp or lift

Having to fold down and stow away your wheelchair before you travel can be difficult, especially in bad weather. For people with certain medical conditions, it may even be unsafe. So, with our wheelchair friendly vehicles, you don’t have to. All our vehicles come with either a ramp or a lift, making it easy to enter and exit the vehicle sitting in your wheelchair.

Spacious interior

We want you and the people you’re travelling with to be able to enjoy the ride in comfort. So, every one of our WAVs has been specially adapted to offer a spacious and roomy interior. It means you can sit comfortably in your wheelchair while travelling and relax.

Secure wheelchair restraints

Making sure you have a safe journey is paramount. So, all the WAVs in our range are fitted with wheelchair friendly restraints. These are made to an ultra-high specification – strong enough to secure your wheelchair and ensure it doesn’t move while you’re travelling.

If you’d like to know a bit more about the kind of features to look out for when choosing a wheelchair friendly car to hire, this article reveals the Top 5 Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Features. It’s a useful introduction to the adaptations we make to all our vehicles and should reassure you that hiring a WAV from us is a safe and secure way to travel.

Wheelchair friendly car hire – frequently asked questions

How do I know what the right wheelchair friendly car is for me?

Well, the first thing to say is that we have plenty of options for you—well over 1,000 wheelchair accessible vehicles for hire, to be precise! But more importantly, we have a customer service team with lots of experience matching people with the right vehicle. Give us a call on 0300 045 4505 or request a callback and we’ll talk you through your options.

How much does it cost to reserve a wheelchair friendly car and how do I pay?

Once we’ve found you the right wheelchair friendly vehicle, you can reserve it with a £60 deposit. Then, when it’s time to pay for your vehicle in full, you can give one of the team a call and pay by credit or debit card over the phone.

Is there a minimum age to hire a wheelchair friendly car?

Yes there is – you or whoever is hiring the wheelchair friendly car for you needs to be at least 18 years old.

We’re planning a group road trip – can several people share the driving?

Absolutely! One of the best things about hiring a wheelchair friendly vehicle is being able to get out and about with friends. So, if you want a few people to share the driving, that’s no problem. All we need are the details for each driver and we’ll get it set up for you when you book.

The same applies if you’re hiring one of our WAVs for your care home and you want several colleagues to share the driving. Just get in touch and we’ll arrange it for you.

How long can I have my wheelchair friendly car hire for?

The simple answer is as long as you like! We offer wheelchair friendly cars for hire for up to a year. Some people only need their WAVs for a day or two, while others use them for a couple of weeks at a time. So, it’s up to you.

We’re pretty flexible, so if you decide to extend your hire period just let us know. As long as you tell us 24 hours before we’re due to come back and collect your vehicle, we can extend your hire period, no problem.

What if I need to cancel my WAV hire?

These things happen from time to time. As long as you cancel 48 hours before we come and deliver your WAV, we’ll give you a full refund.

If you cancel later than that, here’s what you need to know:

If you cancel less than 48 hours before we’re due to deliver your vehicle, we’ll give you a full refund in Open Road Access credit. Then, you can use your credit to book with us again.

If you cancel less than 12 hours before we’re due to deliver your vehicle, we’ll give you a full refund in Open Road Access credit minus £50. This is a charge we have to make to cover our costs.

Hire a wheelchair friendly car from us today

If you like the idea of enjoying a getaway in the UK with friends and family, or even just hiring a wheelchair accessible vehicle for the day to get you an important appointment, we can help. Our team will take care of everything and find the right vehicle for you. You can hire one of our WAVs for as little as a day or for as long as a year. Simply request a callback here or give us a ring on 0300 045 4505.