Wightlink Ferries Access Statement
Accessible Travel - Isle of Wight

Accessible travel and assistance

We’re here to help when you need it. If you have a disability, reduced mobility, a medical condition or just need some extra help, you can rely on us to make sure your journey meets your needs.

Once you’ve made your booking, please let us know how we can help as soon as possible, but no later than 48 hours before you travel. We will then assess your needs and ensure that we can meet them on your chosen sailing – this includes bringing any specialist equipment on board.

Should we be unable to help, we’ll explain why and may ask you to travel on an alternative sailing.

If you don’t advise us in advance, we will still do our best to allow you to travel as soon as possible after you arrive at the port. However, this may mean your departure is delayed and assistance can’t be guaranteed.

You can book your accessible travel and assistance needs  by calling our team on 0800 093 8236, Monday – Friday 09:00 – 18:00 and Saturday and Sunday, 09:00 – 17:00.

Wightlink will do our best to help with:

  • A wider vehicle space on board our ferries, so there’s more room to get in and out of your vehicle, situated close to the lift.
  • Assistance to and from the car deck or FastCat (please note we are only able to provide assistance at our ports).
  • Loan of a wheelchair while you are travelling on board.
  • Transportation of equipment that is safe and authorised to take on board.
  • Providing ramps on the ship so you can access the deck with a wheelchair or pram more easily.
  • Information for passengers who cannot leave the vehicle (subject to authorisation by the ship’s captain on the day of travel. Unfortunately, this can’t be guaranteed).

Wightlink are unable to help with:

  • Transportation of equipment that is not safe to take on board, such as some oxygen refrigeration systems (other than refrigerated flasks).
  • Requests that are impossible to accommodate due to the design of our ship or port infrastructure.
  • Requests to remain in your vehicle during the crossing, except in exceptional circumstances such as mobility restrictions that make it unfeasible or unsafe to leave the vehicle during the crossing. This can only be done with the express authorisation of the ship’s Captain on the day of travel.
  • Assistance with personal care such as feeding, breathing or using the toilet.
Helping Hand Scheme
Helping Hand sceme is a free scheme that provides a discreet and easy way for you to make our team aware of hidden disabilities  or needs without the need for verbal communication with them. E.g. You may have a hearing disability and need the staff to speak clearly or without face mask.

Wightlink provide a bright yellow card, on the front a brief message that can be shown to the staff at check-in at port of when boarding the ferries.

Travelling with a companion If personal care is required, we may ask you to bring a companion with you to provide this assistance.

Companions must be booked at least 48 hours in advance and will not be charged provided they travel with you and return on the next available crossing. Call 0800 093 8236 

 
Terminal and Ferries Facilities
Fast Cats
  • Wheelchair Loan
  • Ramps to get you on board
  • Wheelchair Secure Points
  • Priority Seating

  • We aim to ensure that our ferries and terminals are as accessible as possible by providing:
Ports
  • Hearing Loops
  • Wheelchair Loan
  • Accessible Toilets
  • Ramp access to customer service area
Vehicle Ferries
  • Wheelchair Loan
  • Ramps to get you on board
  • Lifts to get you to passenger lounges
  • Four accessible parking spaces
  • An Accessible or Ambulatory Toilet
  • The accessible toilet on Wight Sky, Wight Light and Wight Sun is on car deck and cannot be used during crossing.
QUALITY STANDARDS FOR ASSISTANCE Article 13 Merchant Shipping (Passengers’ Right) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019

These Assistance Quality Standards for Disabled Persons and Persons with Reduced Mobility [hereinafter referred to as ‘the Quality Standards’] represent an integral part of the General Terms and Conditions of Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea [hereinafter referred to as 'the Conditions']. 

The terms used throughout the Quality Standards that have been defined in the Conditions, retain the meanings assigned to them therein. The Quality Standards determine the scope of minimal assistance provided by the Carrier to disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility [hereinafter referred to as ‘Disabled persons’] on board the Carrier’s vessel during a journey, including embarking and disembarking.

Wightlink offers the Disabled person services subject to the rules set out in the Conditions, taking the following provisions into account. Wightlink shall not charge the Disabled person extra fees for the provision of the assistance described by the Quality Standards. 

The Disabled person, or a person who is making a reservation on their behalf, must notify Wightlink of their needs as regards the provision of service in the manner and by the mode as set out in the Conditions at least 48 hours prior to a journey. If 48 hours’ notice is not given, Wightlink will still make all reasonable efforts to provide the passenger with assistance. 

1. Booking Any customer with a disability, reduced mobility, medical condition, or that just needs extra help to travel on a Wightlink car ferry or FastCat must book accessible travel at least 48hrs in advance of the booked journey. Once the requirements have been discussed and confirmed the customer will receive confirmation of the request including details of where to check in and the need to make their travel requirements known at check in, by email and/or by phone. A request for accessible travel can be made by calling our Contact Centre Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm or Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm on 0800 093 8236 or by completing the Accessible Travel form on our Contact Us page at Wightlink.co.uk/contactus. Every effort will be made to meet the customers’ needs but if we are unable to offer Accessible Travel on a particular sailing, we will offer alternative sailing times. This may be due to safety reasons or if you are carrying certain equipment. If a Disabled customer requires specialist assistance during a journey, such as using the toilet, feeding or are blind or visually impaired, they must be accompanied by a person who can give them the required assistance. Companions will travel free of charge. 

2. Arrival at Port Customers arriving at port in a vehicle must make themselves known to the check in team for any Accessible Travel requirements. If Accessible Travel requirements have not been pre-booked our 2 team will do their best to accommodate the customers’ needs but they may be required to travel on an alternate sailing. Passengers will be advised of where to park to wait embarkation and requested to turn on hazard lights when boarding. Informational signage will advise of where disabled facilities are located on port. Port facilities are accessible by ramp and/or lift. Disabled customers arriving at port by foot will be advised of where to wait until check in time, provided help with luggage where needed, will be provided with a Wightlink wheelchair if booked/required and if needed will be assisted in a motorised wheelchair to and from the ship (FastCat service only). Direction and assistance will be provided to disabled facilities and toilets, including a Changing Places Toilet at Gunwharf and Ryde Pier Head - our teams will not provide assistance to use the toilet. 

3. Embarkation and Disembarkation Customers will be parked next to the passenger lifts if booked, with the booked space around the vehicle to exit and enter the vehicle comfortably as required. Our on-board loading team will provide wheelchair ramps if required to access lifts and stairways and provide assistance to the lifts and stairs as necessary. If you require assistance to return to the car deck, please notify a member of our team. 

4. On Board Seating is provided as close to all lifts as possible with signage to indicate. During the journey, customers will be provided with the assistance necessary to get from the passenger lounge to the toilets and back – our teams will not provide assistance to use the toilet. All retail services offered on board the ferry is accessible to disabled customers. In an emergency or should evacuation be necessary, the crew shall first provide assistance to Disabled customers. The assistance relates to both putting on a life jacket and all the stages of evacuation. 

5. Blind or Visually Impaired Customers Assistance dogs are welcome in all areas of our ports and ship. If travelling as a foot passenger a companion can travel with you free of charge. 

6. Safety Announcements Safety announcements are made shortly after the journey begins on a PA System throughout all passenger lounges and outside deck areas. The message is also played on all internal passenger lounge information tv screens with the safety announcement written on the screen for hearing impaired customers. 

7. Information Accessible Travel Information leaflets and Passenger Rights information can be found in our port’s. Leaflets can be provided in braille, large print and audio when requested. 3 Passenger Safety leaflets for those permitted to remain in their vehicle on the crossing is available on board and can be provided in braille, large print and audio when requested. 

8. Helping Hand Card Wightlink offer a free scheme that provide a discreet and easy way for customers to make our team aware of invisible disabilities or needs without having to verbally communicate them. Customers can apply online for a card or contact our Contact Centre to complete the required details. 

9. Delays and Cancellations Information regarding delays and cancellations will, in the first instance, be received by email and/or SMS. All Accessible Travel Assistance bookings will then be contacted via phone where contact details are available to discuss alternate sailing times, other service provisions to be provided or cancellations and refunds. 

10. Complaints All complaints regarding any part of our service will be responded to within 5 working days of receipt. If you are unable to write or email, we will be happy to hear your complaint over the phone. Full details will be required. Email feedback@wightlink.co.uk Mail: Feedback Team Wightlink Ltd Gunwharf Road Portsmouth PO1 2LA Phone: 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm or weekends 9am-5pm. 

11. Standards of Assistance The Quality Standards govern the minimum level of assistance Wightlink undertakes to disabled customers. However, we will undertake regular assessments of the assistance available to ensure we continue to improve. 

We will achieve this by: 

1. Monitoring the volume of disabled customers to ensure sufficient trained staff are always available 
2. Sending regular customer surveys to encourage feedback and influence improvements 
3. Engage with charities and institutions to assist with improving our service and training 
4. Respond within 5 working days to any complaints regarding Travel Assistance 
5. Identify areas of improvement through complaints, customer feedback and regular audits 

Training  
Wightlink will train all Contact Centre colleagues, Feedback team, Port teams, Ship crew and Retail staff who engage with customers in Disability Awareness training. 

Training will be provided and completed through Training Tracker for Evacuation Training Accessible Travel Training is provided within three months of start of employment via Training Tracker. Regular training will be carried out every 24 months via Training Tracker.