Mobility Scooters

Access Ramps

Access ramp with mobility scooter

Access ramps for scooters can be placed temporarily or permanently depending on how you wish to use them. An access ramp can be extremely useful in many places especially areas that you have difficulty navigating in and around the home. Ramps for scooters generally are both extendable and foldable. This means they allow for a smooth entry and exit even with steps of different sizes. A good quality access ramp will be very durable and companies tend to offer them in two or more widths, with lips on each side that guide you safely up or down the ramp itself.

In order to determine which access ramp is for you, you need to decide what you want it for – whether it be to load a scooter into a vehicle or gain entry to a building, as some ramps are better suited than others for specific tasks.

Types of Access Ramp

  • Threshold Ramp – provides easy access through a passage or doorway. Usually is a solid piece of aluminium and is excellent for when you need a permanent solution.
  • Folding Ramp – portable and useful for when on the move. Designed to be placed semi-permanently and ideal for intermittent use they also have a slip resistant high traction tape on their surface. They are available in a wide range of sizes, and are generally light weight and easy to carry.
  • Telescopic Ramp – designed for areas that have significant changes in height and are usually portable. Durable and built to last, the non-slip surface provides plenty of grip when wet or dry.
  • Suitcase Ramp – extremely portable and useable in many situations especially for power chair and scooter transportation. Suitcase ramps fold in half lengthwise are lightweight and can support up to 325kg.
  • Channel Ramp – though primarily intended for wheelchair users, they are also available for 4-wheeled mobility scooters and offer an extremely safe method of transferral as wheels have little ability to move off left or right off course.

Working It Out

A gradient of 1:6 is recommended for scooters, power chairs and wheelchairs with assistance. The most efficient way of working out the length of the ramp you need is to multiply the height of all the steps by the aforementioned gradient. The result is the minimum ramp length necessary to safely ascend and descend these stairs.
For instance: A mobility scooter user is attempting to gain access to a building with a 7″ step (178mm). Since the gradient suggested is 1:6, all the individual needs to do is multiply them together. 6″ (152mm) X 7″ (178mm) = 42″ (1066.8mm). This means the ramp required needs to be at least 42 inches long or just over metre long. The correct ramp to buy would be one that is longer than 42″ inches.

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