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UK: Edinburgh petrol stations most accessible for disabled drivers

Edinburgh is the most accessible region in the UK for disabled motorists when it comes to refuelling at petrol stations, according to new figures.



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The city district has the highest number of petrol stations signed up to a wireless key fob service which enables drivers to call for assistance from their car.

The ‘MyHailo’ system, which is endorsed by the charity Disability Motoring UK, allows drivers with mobility problems to avoid blasting their horn or wave out of the window to summon an attendant.

Users can easily identify petrol stations in their area through an interactive map and the specially-designed fob allows them to ask for assistance without leaving their vehicle.

There are almost 500 petrol stations nationwide which have the MyHailo system installed and include locations at major retailers such as Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and BP. 

Edinburgh (with 1 MyHailo per 46,106 people) tops the table of city districts and counties with Bristol second, Somerset third, Shropshire fourth and County Durham fifth.

“Concerns about how to fill up the car can stop disabled drivers going out and can impact on their independence,” says Ran Meyrav head of business development for assistive technology firm Contacta which makes MyHailo.  “They’ve also told us about the abuse they receive from other motorists for taking much longer to get help or to struggle out of the car to the pump.

There are an estimated 1.9 million licensed disabled drivers in the UK and around 400,000 adapted vehicles.

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