Northern and mobility scooter manufacturer TGA have launched a new partnership aimed at making train travel easier with a mobility scooter or wheelchair.
People can now travel to and from more than 160 stations, on 281 routes on the train operator’s network, using their scooter or wheelchair.
All powerchairs and wheelchairs can be taken on accessible routes but only certain smaller mobility scooters are permitted – this is where the Northern mobility scooter permit scheme and TGA can help.
Passengers can apply for a free permit on the train operator’s website which will show whether their scooter is suitable for rail travel. TGA can provide advice on which products from its range can be safely used on the Northernn Rail network, such as a the Minimo Autofold or Minimo Plus.
Maxine Myers, accessibility improvement manager at Northern, said:“We are committed to giving people with additional mobility needs the confidence to travel by rail. We want to support our customers whenever they need it.
“The mobility scooter scheme is an example of this commitment and we’ll be looking to deliver improved accessibility across our network as we roll out similar improvements at other stations in the future.”
To celebrate the new partnership and to encourage more people onto the trains, Northern passengers with new mobility scooter permits will qualify for a 10 per cent discount on train friendly TGA products.
Daniel Stone, TGA managing director, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Northern who are providing greater accessibility on the rail network and opening up travel to areas in the North of England that may not have previously been possible. Inclusive stations and routes enable mobility scooter and wheelchair users access to the rail network with confidence and we are proud to offer our support to the scheme.”
Northern mobility scooter permit scheme applications can be made here.
Find out more about the partnership here
