Highways England has partnered with accessibility information provider AccessAble to produce access guides for motorway services.
The government-owned company said the new guides, available online or via the free AccessAble app, provide '100% facts, figures, and photographs to help motorists plan their visit’.
The guides cover key areas including parking, toilets, petrol stations, shops, and restaurants, with detailed information on everything from staff training and hearing loops, to walking distances and Changing Places.
The two organisations have also worked together to create virtual route guides, which use 360-degree imagery to allow visitors to virtually explore routes to key facilities.
Disability blogger and National Diversity Awards finalist, Kerry Thompson (pictured) has shared her thoughts about the guides in a video.
Highways England said that while it encourages everyone to plan their journeys before setting off, ‘for some people this isn’t as easy as for others’.
With disabled drivers representing 5% of the driving population, the access guides are one of a number of new services Highways England is introducing 'to break down barriers and help people reliably plan and feel confident about their journeys'.
Equality, diversity and inclusion manager Julian Horsler said: ‘We’re making good progress to ensure our roads and services are more accessible and inclusive, and there’s lots more to do.
‘Whatever the nature of your disability, the access guides for motorway service areas take the guesswork out of journey planning, giving you the information you need about facilities along your route.’
Dr Gregory Burke, founder and chair of AccessAble, said: ‘We’re delighted to partner with Highways England on this ground-breaking initiative to deliver a world class standard of access information across England’s motorway service area network.
‘It’s clear that Highways England share our commitment to user-led service development and improving access and customer experience for the UK’s 18 million disabled people and carers.’
Anthony Smith, chief executive of transport watchdog Transport Focus, said: ‘We know from our research looking at the experiences of disabled road users that journey planning is key. We’re pleased to see the recommendations we made to Highways England result in this initiative.’
All Access Guides are available free of charge on the AccessAble website and on the AccessAble App.
