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Old 7th July 2018, 17.08:48   #32-0 (permalink)
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Joined: May 2018
Racecourse Spot: MRS
Real Name: Kerry
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Default Re: Accessible Away Travel - Help Needed !!

I always said after previously telling everyone on RP about trying to achieve Wheelchair Accessible Away Travel, that I would come back to you all with facts and figures and news of whether this would be a possible task, well sadly I don't think this is going to be possible this season 18/19.

Just to give you all some facts, I have spent months and months of work on this and estimate I have made around 100 phone calls trying to get this service up and running. I finally found a company who couldn't have been more helpful to try and accommodate our needs at Wrexham AFC.

The price they came back with, which was to offer the wheelchair accessible away travel to every away game this season, which as you are all aware is far and wide due to the league this season. The price was coming in at £11,000, now that figure seems massive. However, as we are this season travelling over 8160 miles approx to our away games, this works out at £1.34 per mile, which includes a Driver, Fuel and Vehicle Hire and I’m sure you will agree that is simply an amazing deal. This was also, I might add the cheapest price I got back by some considerable amount from other companies that I rang. At this point I felt very defeated because I had finally found a company able and willing to provide this service and they even, very kindly offered that we could pay at the end of the season, giving us more time to raise the money, But I'm sure you would all agree I couldn't possibly commit that amount of money out at this point when we only have the means to charge 8 people travelling .

Anyway, instead of giving up at this point, I thought if we can offer ANY service it would be far better than the service we currently have, which is non existent. So I now thought if I go back to the company and ask for a revised price to do the closest 6/7 away games. They came back to me pricing £1510.00 to attend the closest 6/7 away games, with the thought that we could take 4 wheelchair users and 4 carers and provide a limited service for this season, We were going to charge in line with the football clubs official travel, which we would still mean we would be running at a lose. However, realising how much work I have done in getting this service up and running for wheelchair fans and how passionate I have been about it working, Mr Geoff Scott Commercial Manager at Wrexham AFC very kindly offered to pick up the short fall for this season to enable me to get this service off the ground in a limited way. That then giving me 12 months to look into how I could raise the money to get the full service up and running for every game next season. Because if this service is going to be provided to every away game of a season, we would have to fully fund it, and I thought If this season the service works well and it is a success and the demand is there, this could be possible by next year.

However, to even get close to the price it's costing even for travelling to 6/7 away games, we would need to charge everyone travelling on the mini bus, So I have spoke to numerous wheelchair users to explain that if they are interested in using the away travel this would be how we can make it work and each and every person I have spoken to seemed quite happy regarding this and said they were definitely still interested in using the service.

Sadly it has been brought to my attention recently by a RP member that I am unable to charge Carers as this is not fair. So sadly this service is going to fall at the 1st hurdle because I simply cannot provide a service on 4 paying passengers, it is simply impossible!!. So I guess this is why this service has never been possible before, and to everyone who has shown interest in the accessible away travel, I am very sorry I am having to let you all down. I have done my very best for you all.
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