Requirement No.9 - Designated wheelchair space
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FOR INCLUSION IN REGULATIONS |
FOR ACCOMPANYING GUIDANCE |
EXPLANATION |
| 9. Designated wheelchair space |
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| 9.1 The area required for the wheelchair (known as the designated wheelchair space) must be of sufficient size to allow a reference wheelchair (see diagram 7) to be moved from outside the vehicle into the space. The minimum headroom over the space must be 1400mm. |
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To meet one of the main purposes of regulations all vehicles must have sufficient space for a wheelchair and its occupant. The headroom over this area must be sufficient to allow the majority of wheelchair users to sit upright. |
| 9.2 The passage from the door to the designated wheelchair space must be free of obstructions. |
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This requirement allows the wheelchair user to get to and from the wheelchair space. |
| 9.3 The passage to the space must be of sufficient size to allow a reference wheelchair to be located in the area with no more than a four-point turn and without lifting the wheels from the floor. |
All the wheels of a wheelchair should be in contact with the floor when positioned in the designated space. |
This is to ensure the wheelchair and its occupant can be positioned in the wheelchair space without too much manoeuvring which can be extremely uncomfortable for some disabled people and/or the person assisting them. |
| 9.4 The head room throughout the area in which the wheelchair travels from the door to the designated space must at no point be less than the entry door height. |
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The height dimension allows most wheelchair users to travel without having to bend their neck which can be painful. |
