With a disabled population of over 14.1 million, and nearly 10% of that disabled population (1.9% of the UK population) requiring wheelchairs, accessibility is a crucial issue for the UK. Public transport links are getting better and better at creating accessible options for disabled folk to get around, but as much of the UK’s infrastructure still needs re-tooling for accessibility, the best option for transport remains a personal, wheelchair accessible vehicle. These can sometimes be prohibitively expensive to purchase new, meaning that households are increasingly looking at the option of converting a second-hand minivan to allow for wheelchair access. But how feasible is this, and what are the options when it comes to minibus conversion?

Determine if a Conversion is Viable

The first thing you should do when considering a minibus conversion is to examine the state of your minibus. Consider taking it in for a service with a trusted mechanic, and finding out if any major issues show up. Is there evidence of rust in the chassis? How old is the engine, and is anything expensive likely to fail? Check the mileage as well – the longer your minibus has been running, the less reliable it may be. Converting your minivan can prove to be a costly endeavour, and if your minivan runs the risk of requiring major repairs in the near future, it may well be more viable – and indeed cheaper – for you to purchase a new minibus.

The best candidates for minibus conversion are newer or scarcely-run, in good exterior and interior condition and robust enough to withstand the additional weight of your modifications and your wheelchair. The engine ought to be relatively powerful as well, so as not to lose too much fuel efficiency to pulling this additional weight.

Rear-Entry Conversion

Rear-entry conversions are the most popular kind of minivan conversion, owing to being a more economical option and requiring the least heavy modification. Rear-entry conversions involve the adaption of the minivan’s boot to accept a wheelchair ramp, and entry via the boot space to a rear seating space in which to lock the wheelchair and user for transport. The disadvantages of rear entry are that you can often lose significant storage space in the process, and city parking can become difficult as ramp access from the rear negates the possibility of parallel parking. However, rear-entry minivans often ride higher than alternatives, meaning less scraped chassis on speed bumps and kerbs.

Side-Entry Conversion

Side entry conversions are a significantly more expensive alternative for wheelchair access, but come with their own benefits. Side entry conversion involves the adaption of the vehicle’s passenger or driver side to accept wheelchair access and rotation, enabling the user to sit as a passenger or even drive the vehicle themselves. Side-entry also guarantees ability to enter and exit in the city, as parallel parking does not box off the vehicle’s entryway – however, conventional car parking spots provide more of a challenge.