FIRST MAKES TRAVEL EASIER FOR ELDERLY AND DISABLED PASSENGERS WITH SUCCESSFUL TEST OF BUS COMPLIANT TGA MOBILITY SCOOTERS FROM BEACTIVE

First Eastern Counties has joined forces with TGA mobility scooter specialist Beactive Mobility to help assist the elderly and disabled with travelling.

Shaun Green, Area Sales Manager for Beactive Mobility, which has stores in Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth, Diss and Norwich, spent the morning at First’s Lowestoft depot where he tested and identified two mobility scooters that fit comfortably on the buses – the TGA Eclipse and Minimo.

David Smith, Managing Director at Beactive Mobility, said: “This opportunity to visit First’s Lowestoft depot has been essential for us to demonstrate why the TGA Eclipse and Minimo are perfect for bus travel. As one of the leading mobility specialists in East Anglia, we only provide quality, reliable products and these TGA models reiterate this ethos. Both are recognised by RICA, the independent consumer research group for older and disabled people, as being compliant with bus travel. These fantastic, compact scooters are so easy to drive on and off First’s new accessible buses and once on-board, manoeuvring is hassle-free as their turning circles are so small. The pioneering Minimo also folds into such a compact size for storage in luggage areas – hence the ideal partner for independence further afield.”

The Managing Director of TGA, who supplies Beactive with the Eclipse and Minimo added: “It is fantastic that our valued retailer Beactive is investing time to enhance freedom for locals through their support of First Bus. Our easily dismantled Eclipse and folding Minimo are extremely popular nationwide as they are both ideal for transportation in the boot of a car or on public transport. Improving accessibility for disabled people on buses, we believe, is an essential focus for all fleet operators and we are pleased to see First taking a lead on this matter. We are sure that all the elderly and disabled passengers who chose First buses whilst taking on-board a TGA Eclipse or Minimo mobility scooter, will be able to travel with complete confidence and peace of mind.”

Danny Beales, Operations Manager at First’s Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft depots, said: “We are delighted to work with TGA mobility scooter supplier Beactive Mobility to make travelling easier and safer for our disabled and elderly passengers. Accessibility for our customers is a key priority for First, and we are always looking for ways to improve our services for all of our customers.” Danny also showed Shaun some of the safety features on the bus during his successful on-board testing of the Eclipse and Minimo.

TGA Minimo

The new Minimo is a revolution in compact, collapsible scooter design that folds and fits into the boot of a car or can be taken on a bus. It requires no parts to be dismantled for storage and its revolutionary lightweight, lithium battery can be literally lifted by one finger.

TGA Eclipse

The Eclipse is the UK’s leading compact scooter that quickly dissembles into three easy-to-lift parts that is compatible for bus travel. Its ground clearance and tight turning circle are exceptional within its class – all enhanced by a maximum user capacity of 132kg and a range of 15km.