National charity Driving Mobility, has been awarded a significant three-year Motability Foundation grant, to work with DriveAbility Scotland to continue to expand its vital driving assessment services in Scotland.
Driving Mobility coordinates a network of charity-funded and NHS centres across the UK which provide clinically-led ‘fitness to drive’ assessments, guidance on mobility equipment and accessible travel advice. Supported by The Department for Transport (DfT) in England, Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) and Occupational Therapists (OTs), guide and support individuals who self-refer or are signposted from the DVLA, the Motability Scheme, Police and NHS. Every member of staff is committed to enabling people with disabilities to drive or travel safely.
Opened in 2021, DriveAbility Scotland was the first Driving Mobility centre to support Scottish residents. It is now a registered charity in Scotland. The centre in Glasgow established a fleet of dual controlled cars with various specialist driving adaptations so clients could be assessed and given recommendations. However, funding to keep the service open had become a challenge and there was a risk of closure, until the Motability Foundation offered a substantial grant to Driving Mobility
This funding will ensure services are sustained until 2027 and have allowed the charity to implement and plan:
- Expansion to full time services at new headquarters in Glasgow
- Develop new centres and outreach services outside the Central Belt
- Purchase new vehicles and fit with adaptations, including a drive-from-wheelchair option
- Recruit and train more staff
- Update IT systems
Andrew Swain, DriveAbility Scotland Centre Manager, comments: “The team and I are absolutely delighted with the £1.5 million that Motability has granted us. As the future of our services were in jeopardy, along with the independence of disabled Scottish drivers, we had to reach out to this valued stakeholder. Driving Mobility and Motability have always worked closely together to achieve common goals and this latest investment reiterates our strong relationship.”
“The funding will deliver significant change in Scotland. Not only will it bring services closer to more communities, but it will also strengthen our proposition in terms of assessment adaptations and vehicles. Ultimately meaning more people are enabled with all the mental health and well-being benefits it provides. Our team has a renewed sense of vigour.”
Andrew also adds: “While the Motability Foundation funding will enable us to build up a network of services across Scotland, we will need the support of the Scottish Government to keep the service viable in the longer term. If the model of funding support built up by the Department for Transport in England could be replicated by Transport Scotland it would ensure that we can continue to support disabled and older drivers across all regions of Scotland.”
This positivity has been reiterated by Lisa Jones, Motability Foundation Director of Charitable Operations, who concludes: “We’re delighted to award Driving Mobility with this grant to expand its driving assessment services in Scotland, so that disabled people interested in learning to drive have the tools they need to do so. Awarding grants to experienced organisations like Driving Mobility helps us to make an immediate difference to the transport needs of disabled people.”
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