Wheelchair Accessible Conversions: Local Authorities
At Stanford Coachworks, we specialise in converting wheelchair accessible vehicles for a variety of clients. Every vehicle that we produce is custom-built to order, giving our clients the opportunity to design a vehicle that meets their specific transport requirements. Over the years, our bespoke approach has become greatly popular with many local authorities throughout the United Kingdom.
We believe that accessible vehicles should not have to be basic, so we give our clients the freedom to customise their minibus much alike a car, with a variety of options and trim levels to choose from.
What to consider when designing your local authority minibus
User friendliness:
Choose a simple seating layout - All of our minibuses come with a seating plan fitted inside of the vehicle to help relocate any removed passenger seats. The seating plan also shows the most appropriate positions to secure wheelchairs in.
Include simple features - Our exclusive lightweight fold-out step is the perfect simple feature because it is so easy to use. We would also recommend tail lifts over ramps as it eliminates the need for an operator to manually push a wheelchair up a ramp and into the vehicle.
Consider the vehicle size and how many passengers it can carry - Depending on vehicle size, your driver’s may require a specialist D1 driving licence. Vehicle’s with less than 8 passenger seats + driver, that also weigh no more than 3.5 tonnes, can be driven with a standard driving licence. Please refer to the BVRLA guide to driving a minibus for further information. Be sure to check!
SCW lightweight fold-out side step.
Underfloor tail lift.
Durability:
Consider who will be travelling in the vehicle when choosing the following.
Seating - If your vehicle is being used by multiple passengers per day, wipe clean seating may be the better option for you as it is incredibly easy to clean between uses. If you’re looking to incorporate a colourful pattern, moquette seating could be better suited. We also offer moquette seats with wipe clean bases and lower back curves, giving you the best of both!
Flooring - All of our floor coverings include a non-slip finish and come in a variety of styles. For vehicles with multiple daily use, a darker floor works better as it stays looking cleaner for much longer. We also recommend our ebony wood-effect flooring to give your vehicle an executive finish!
Personalisation:
To help ensure that your vehicle is well-suited to your organisation, we offer many personalisation options. We have a variety of materials available in a diverse range of colours, patterns and styles (take a look at the images below to find out more). In addition to this, we can include embroidered headrests or modesty screen panels, LED colour changing roof lighting, custom stitch roof panels and much more!
LED colour changing lights
Embroidered modesty screen
Embroidered headrests
Recent conversions
Our latest two vehicles, converted for one of our long-standing local authority clients, feature a premium yet user-friendly design. These L3H2 Peugeot Boxer 335’s will be added to the local authority’s fleet which carry out a variety of services including:
A bookable minibus service for those unable to access public transport
Long or short-term accessible minibus hire for local community and voluntary groups
Accessible school transport
Specification:
Based on L3H2 Peugeot Boxer 335 professionals
Can accommodate up to 8 x passengers plus driver
7 x rear saloon passenger seats upholstered in a premium wipe clean grey material with contrasting yellow piping and headrests
Can facilitate 1 x wheelchair passenger
SCW exclusive lightweight low-entry side step
Tracked flooring
Upper cant rail and side wall tracking
Soft-feel interior lining
LED blue / white interior lighting
Eberspacher rear saloon air conditioning
Heavy-duty rear door stays
Wheelchair restraints
Underfloor tail lift
M1 IVA tested
Wheelchair restraint storage compartment
Click here to take a look at our vehicle pages for more information.