Staying active in your community

Motability

You may be eligible for the Motability Scheme which can provide disabled people with safe, reliable and affordable cars, powered wheelchairs or scooters. You can find more information on the Motability website.

Learning to drive when you have a disability

Many people with a disability drive. There are various modifications that can be designed to help make your driving or travelling experience as comfortable as possible, depending on your needs.

If you are looking to start learning to drive, the disability driving instructors website has an online register of specialist driving instructors for people with physical disabilities, special educational needs and those with hearing difficulties. The website also has advice on how to start to learn to drive, how to return to driving after an accident or illness and how to keep driving safely. You can find out more on www.disabilitydrivinginstructors.com

Volunteer drivers

You can contact the Royal Voluntary Service Volunteer Driver scheme who have volunteers who help you stay independent and involved with your community

Journey Assistance Cards

Stagecoach produce Journey Assistance Cards for you to use if you need a bit more help when using the bus. They make it easier for you to let their bus drivers know what extra help you need. You can use your cards any time of the day, seven days a week, on any of their bus services.

You can apply for Journey Assistance Cards if you have limited vision or hearing, difficulty in communication, special educational needs or if English is not your first language. Or maybe you just need extra time or help to find a seat.

Types of Journey Assistance Cards

The cards available are:

• please be patient, I am deaf
• please be patient, I am visually impaired
• please be patient, I have difficulty speaking
• please be patient, I am hard of hearing
• please speak slowly and face me to help me hear better
• please scan my pass for me
• please count my change for me

Information on how to obtain a bus pass

Bus pass information for new applicants and renewals is available on the Combined Transport Authority website for Peterborough. You can also contact them by email via buspassoffice@peterborough.gov.uk

National Rail

If you're travelling around by National Rail, you can plan your train journey using the information provided for disabled passengers at National Rail Enquiries

To book assistance you only need to contact one train company and they will organise assistance for your whole journey. You can book assistance by phone or online with the company directly or centrally by telephoning 0800 022 3720. You can find some Frequently Asked Questions here.

Access information for our local train companies can be found below:

Great Northern

London North Eastern Railway (LNER)

Cross Country

You can also apply for a senior railcard or a disabled persons railcard for reduced rates train travel.

Community Link is Peterborough City Council’s urban door-to-door service. It is a wheelchair accessible service for anyone who lives in the urban area of Peterborough and experiences difficulty using standard public transport or who has no access to public transport.

The service will collect you from your home, drop you off in the city centre (four days a week) or a supermarket (once a week) and pick you up again for your return journey approximately two and a half hours later. Additional trips may also be organised on an ad hoc basis. Membership costs £5 per person or £7.50 for a couple per year. The additional payment is your fare – similar to a standard bus fare. Concessionary bus passes are accepted on this service.

For a registration form or to make a booking, call 01733 425400 – the line is open from 9am – 5pm Mondays to Fridays.

At other times, please email community.transport@cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk or leave a message on the answer phone. Community Link currently require 48 hours notice of booking.

Find out more on the Peterborough Community Transport website.

A guide for disabled people travelling on buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles (PHV) rail and light rail

This guide organises transport information across a wide range of sources into one convenient document.

It provides disabled passengers with access to clear information about how to pursue their rights across all land transport modes:

• Rail,
• Road,
• Bus and coach,
• Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles.

The guide sets out the assistance that passengers must and should receive, how to complain if something goes wrong and how to claim compensation, if appropriate. It will be especially helpful for disabled people and others with reduced mobility, should elements of their journey unfortunately go wrong.

View the Guide for disabled people travelling on buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles (PHV) rail and light rail

Airports

London Stansted airport

Information on Assisted Travel can be found on their website.

London Luton Airport

Information on Assisted Travel can be found on their website

London Gatwick Airport

Information on Assisted Travel can be found on their website

London Heathrow Airport

Information on Assisted Travel can be found on their website

The Sunflower scheme - Provides support for passengers with invisible disabilities

London Stansted is one of the UK airports that uses the Sunflower Lanyard scheme. By wearing the Airport Awareness Sunflower lanyard or floret, it will discreetly indicate that you have a hidden disability and would like additional support. 

Wheelchair accessible vehicles list

Under the 2022 act, councils are required to supply and publish a list of wheelchair accessible vehicles. 

Hackney Vehicles can be accessed from the taxi ranks which can be viewed on the city centre map. 

You can find out more on the council's page about Designated Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles.