0 Introduction

0.1 General

The UK wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) industry started in the early 1960s to assist people with a mobility impairment to travel in their wheelchair in a motor vehicle.

In the beginning most conversions were rudimentary, addressing only access and basic securing of the wheelchair. Since then, the WAV industry has grown enormously and the range of WAVs offered has also grown in response to customer demand. With an ageing population, the number of wheelchair users who require access to transport in both wheelchair accessible taxis and personal private vehicles is set to rise higher in the future.

In recent years, as a result of campaigning by UK industry, the European Commission has included WAVs as a new category of “special purpose vehicle” within the amendments of Directive 2007/46/EC[1]. However, compliance with Directive 2007/46/EC is not mandatory for all WAVs produced in the UK, as there are alternative approval routes open to manufacturers. In addition, the requirements of the Directive are, in the main, limited to the securing of the wheelchair and occupant within the WAV. They do not address accessibility issues. Furthermore, the Directive specifies certain tests based on a wheelchair mass of 85 kg, whereas electric wheelchairs substantially in excess of this mass are already routinely being carried in WAVs. Although certain basic requirements for rearward-facing wheelchair installations (such as in many UK taxis) are now included in the Directive, there is still no requirement for a head and back support. This has therefore been included in this PAS.

0.2 Accessibility

Minimum generic accessibility dimensions for WAVs do not take account of the varying sizes of wheelchair users and their wheelchairs, resulting in some larger wheelchair users being denied the use of a WAV and some users of smaller wheelchairs having to use WAVs which are far larger than needed, with the associated increased cost and environmental impact of running a larger WAV. Each individual wheelchair user or each particular specifier of WAVs have their own particular requirements and capabilities, so a WAV suitable for one wheelchair user might not be suitable for another.

In an attempt to address these issues, this PAS introduces a new gauge for measuring the accessibility of WAVs so that a set of key accessibility dimensions can be provided to the end user, enabling them to make an informed decision when selecting a WAV. Previous systems of providing measurements, based on simple linear dimensions taken with a tape measure, have not been able to take into account the space that might be required to manoeuvre a wheelchair from the WAV entrance to the travelling position. Potential purchasers of a WAV are usually aware of their principal dimensions when seated in their wheelchair and can compare these with a variety of potential WAVs prior to making a choice. Similarly, specifiers of WAVs for commercial duties (e.g. care homes or taxi licensing authorities) can select a particular set of minimum dimensions that satisfies their needs for any particular application.

The accessibility gauge used in this PAS was developed using data from the Department for Transport study, A survey of occupied wheelchairs and scooters (2006), conducted by CEDS. The survey took and catalogued various measurements of over 1 300 wheelchair users and their wheelchairs. The accessibility gauge used in this PAS is designed to be adjustable to represent the length, width and height of all sizes of occupied wheelchair ranging from the 5th percentile child at the smallest end of the scale, to a size in excess of the 95th percentile adult at the largest. In this way, this PAS aims to encompass the vast majority of wheelchair users in the UK.

0.3 Wheelchair mass

This PAS specifies performance and test requirements for securing wheelchairs of an unoccupied mass of ≤200 kg. Whilst no requirement contained in this PAS can be regarded as a substitute for any type of approval requirement, it is recognized that in many cases, test work to satisfy the requirements of this PAS might be undertaken in parallel with test work undertaken as part of a type approval programme. It is therefore desirable to combine tests wherever possible. In some areas, this PAS specifies alternative test methods to demonstrate compliance with its requirements.

As an example, Annex C (a dynamic test) or Annex E (a static test), are both intended to determine the strength of wheelchair tie-down and occupant restraint anchorages for wheelchairs weighing ≤85 kg. Either method is acceptable as a means of satisfying the r equirements of this PAS and WAV manufacturers may choose whichever test method provides the most convenient and cost-effective method of demonstrating compliance, when combined with their chosen type approval route.

However, none of the currently available type approval routes cater for wheelchairs weighing >85 kg, and when testing the strength of wheelchair tie-down and occupant restraint anchorages for such wheelchairs, the PAS specifies only a dynamic test method.

0.4 Forward and rearward-facing installations

Most privately-owned WAVs provide a forward-facing designated travelling position. However, some WAVs, such as accessible UK taxis, might have a rearward-facing designated travelling position. This PAS differentiates between the testing requirements for forward and rearward testing by providing separate test methods for each case. The strength requirements for the back and head support for a rearward-facing wheelchair occupant closely mirror those currently applicable to accessible buses, and are primarily intended to provide comfort and stability for a rearward-facing wheelchair occupant rather than crash protection.

0.5 Assisted and unassisted entry WAVs

This PAS is not applicable to completed drive-from-wheelchair WAVs, because such WAVs are always bespoke, taking into account an individual’s ability to access and drive the WAV. Wheelchair tie-down arrangements and driving controls for these WAVs would be difficult to standardize, however, some of the requirements of this PAS can be usefully applied to drive-from-wheelchair WAVs insofar as their basic level of accessibility is concerned. Two definitions are used in this PAS - “AWAV” (assisted entry wheelchair accessible vehicle), (see 3.1.3) and “UWAV” (unassisted entry wheelchair accessible vehicle) (see 3.1.21) to cover the two basic types of WAV. In some parts of the PAS, separate requirements apply to each.

0.6 Tie-downs

This PAS is limited to WAVs in which the wheelchair is restrained using four-point strap-type tie-downs, due to the lack of technical data to support the drafting of requirements for other types of wheelchair tie-down equipment. In particular, when securing the wheelchair with a docking station, there are difficulties in standardizing the attachment method of the docking station interface pin to the surrogate wheelchair (SWC), especially when ballasted to masses well in excess of 85 kg. In addition, the bespoke nature of installations involving docking stations makes each WAV fitted with a docking station different, and therefore impractical to test destructively. However, the general principles of the test methods in this PAS may also be applied to other types of WTORS and WTORS anchorages, subject to it being possible to make suitable modifications to the SWC used for testing.

PAS 2012-1:2019

M1 vehicles for the carriage of one or more passengers seated in wheelchairs - Manufacturing requirements. Specification

Current

Published:

30 Nov 2019