“It is truly a life changing event for us. Our upfront WAV allows us to travel side by side”

Travelling upfront in an upfront wheelchair accessible car can be critical, for some passengers. This is the case for Rosemarie and Neil Sanderson, and they found the Ford Grand Tourneo Connect wheelchair conversion from Sirus, a perfect solution.

Rosemarie and Neil Sanderson faced a dilemma when they needed to change to a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) from a car. For 20 years, the couple had fared well with a large Ford Galaxy. Rosemarie, who had previously had strokes, was able to transfer to the front passenger seat with Neil’s assistance. However, for Rosemarie, a retired school secretary, her muscle strength and mobility markedly declined after contracting Covid-19, and she became a full-time wheelchair user.

Finding a safe wheelchair accessible car

They arranged demonstrations for different types of wheelchair accessible car conversions to see what suited them best. Most critical was Rosemarie being able to communicate quickly to Neil if she was having a choking episode and needed help. Plus, as Rosemarie needs to always travels with a lot of equipment – including patient turners, a commode and a mattress – a decent sized boot was also a must.

Luggage and equipment

The popular rear entry conversions were unsuitable. “When we went on a cruise I managed to get seven suitcases, a manual wheelchair, the power wheelchair, and then Rosemary in the front with me in the Ford Galaxy we had previously. You had to pack it like a jigsaw puzzle. When the Motability accessor Gareth came, we put virtually all of it in. He said: ‘it all fits’, I said ‘yes, but what if Rosemarie needs the toilet?’ In the end, he said ‘I can see we’re going to need you to try the side entry Sirus Ford Upfront.”

Side entry wheelchair accessible car

Based on Ford’s latest Grand Tourneo Connect, the Upfront Passenger conversion allows the wheelchair user to enter and exit from the side, via a manual ramp and sliding door. The side entry design also has the advantage of three rear seats as standard, as well as a large unmodified boot accessed via a hatch. The ramp is designed with an anti-slip coating and the floor is lowered for maximum headroom.

Fuel efficiency and performance

The Ford Grand Tourneo Connect is even more car-like than previous versions and is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an automatic gearbox. Neil is pleased with its excellent motorway performance and fuel consumption, which is almost 50mpg.

Our Upfront WAV is life-changing

Even with the Sirus car fully loaded, the couple are free to get in and out whenever they need. “There’s nothing stopping Rosemarie’s independence with the Ford Upfront Passenger WAV, which is brilliant. Being able to travel as an upfront passenger in her wheelchair has literally been a life changer for Rosemarie,” adds Neil. “Without our WAV, travelling would not have been possible moving forward. God bless you all xx.”

Read more about our Ford Upfront WAV and book a free home demonstration.

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