A wheelchair user, that dreamed of exploring the UK and Europe in her motorhome, has realised her dreams with the installation of a Faiveley Vapor Ricon wheelchair lift.
Birgitta Kronqvist, a carriage driving competitor from North Yorkshire, chose the lightweight lift after researching a solution and finding a promotional video online that showcased the benefits of the lift. Birgitta, who competes in the North Eastern Driving Trials Ltd in Pony Class, uses her motorhome as a base at competitions and for holidays and trips when the competitions have ended for the season.
Challenge
It was necessary for Birgitta to find a lightweight lift for her motorhome as the vehicle was already close to its maximum legal weight and therefore, if she wanted to travel with more than her assistance dog for company, reducing the weight had to be achieved somewhere. The home, when purchased, already had an electric lift fitted that was too heavy and cumbersome.
Birgitta has been a wheelchair user since 1997 due to a horse-riding accident and it was necessary to have a lift fitted to the vehicle. After, exploring all the options she decided that a lift that was compatible with both her practical and vehicular weight requirements was the better solution.
Solution
The Ricon UniLite lift, a product from the Faiveley Vapor Ricon range, was fitted in in an Elnagh CPT motorhome which is a factory made, disabled access motor home with a wide side door to accommodate the lift.
The lift design offers an aluminium construction and has electric power rather than hydraulic, further reducing the weight. In addition, it has added safety features including rollstops to prevent a wheelchair or scooter inadvertently falling from the platform. Furthermore, the controls for the lift are handily placed on the handrails for easy, independent operation.
A specialist installation was carried out to ensure the floor and ceiling supports were correctly situated for a motorhome installation and to allow easy access to the vehicle and also around the vehicle when the lift was not in use.
Due to the lift’s ultra, lightweight qualities Birgitta’s ability to travel was no longer compromised in any way. She, and her assistance dog, are now able to welcome a travelling companion, without fear of exceeding the weight limit in ‘Miss Ellie’ (the affectionate pet name given to the motorhome)
This means that whether she is competing in carriage driving competitions across the North of England or venturing further afield during the winter to Spain and beyond, Birgitta can be assured that all legal requirements are met and that she can travel safely and with ease of access.
What the customer said
Birgitta Kronqvist commented; “This has been a bit of a game changer for me and has made travelling even more enjoyable. The lift is made with beautiful simplicity and the weight is unbeatable when compared with other similar products. Having the option to take a friend with me has allowed me to enjoy some great times and I shall look forward to many more. The lift makes accessing my motor home so easy and its space saving credentials means that when it is not in use, it is not obtrusive in my home. When I arrive at parks people are often astonished that I exit my home completely unaided!
“The FVR team were so helpful and professional from my initial enquiry and I commend them for making the entire process so simplistic and enjoyable. Their range of solutions means that wheelchair users can enjoy travelling and exploring with confidence; anyone who is a wheelchair user should check out what they have to offer.”
Faiveley Vapor Ricon is proud to offer a wide range of domestic and commercial products to aid vehicular access for those with limited mobility. Look for your preferred lift here