I got this car on 3rd November 2006 through Motability. This Kangoo is my 6th Motability car and is the first that I have been able to use with my powerchair. I will have it for 5 years as unlike my other 5 Motability cars, I have it on a 5 year lease and not a 3 year one. It varies from a standard car in the following ways:

1. Hand controls: This is a push/pull lever situated just behind the steering wheel which is conected directly to the ordinary feet controls. This enables me to use the accelerator pedal by pulling the lever towards me and the brake pedal by pushing the lever away from me. I have been using hand controls since 1995 when the co-ordination in my legs made it dangerous for me to continue driving using my feet. This is the 5th car I have had hand controls fitted to. The push/pull lever also has an indicator toggle and a beam toggle fitted to it to enable me to signal and shine the beam without taking my hand off it.

2. Automatic tailgate and ramp: This enables me to enter the vehicle in my powerchair and thus take my powerchair around with me. I have a remote control which has 4 buttons on it: Tailgate open, Ramp out, ramp in and Tailgate close. I use buttons 1 & 2 when approaching the car to enter it and buttons 3 & 4 leaving the car after having exited. When inside the car I can use a futher 2 toggle switches that perform the same 4 tasks. These toggle switches are located close to where I park my chair.

3. Wheelchair locking device: This enables me to automatically lock my powerchair to the floor of the car. I can do this by simply positioning the chair in the correct place. The car was totally adapted by a company called Aspect Conversions. They took my powerchair for a few days shortly before I took delivery of the car. This was so that they could attach a bolt to the bottom of the chair that fits perfectly inside the lock on the floor of my car. The chair is thus locked securely in the car and meets all health and safety requirements. I can also be driven whilst sat in my powerchair in this position (provided I am wearing a seat belt which I do anyway). The device is unlocked by pressing another button close to where the chair is parked.

4. 3-way movement automatic drivers seat: This enables me to transfer myself from my powerchair (in its lock) to the drivers seat and then to the driving position behind the steering wheel. The 3 movements of the seat are: back and forwards (as can be adjusted manually in normal cars), up and down & swivel.

I would like to publicly thank both Aspect Conversions for their technical knowhow and Motability for funding their work. The car has given me total freedom and independance which would not have been possible without their input.