Irish council makes local beaches more accessible with new all-terrain beach wheelchairs

Mayo County Council, in the Republic of Ireland, is making local beaches more accessible to the public with the provision of four all-terrain wheelchairs and wheelchair-friendly beach mats.

The council is rolling out these wheelchairs and friendly beach mats to greatly enhance accessibility on several Mayo Blue Flag Beaches. This equipment will be shared between participating Blue Flag Beaches according to daily demand.

Anna Connor, Tourism Development Officer at Mayo County Council, commented: “The new beach wheelchairs and mobility mats will ensure that Mayo beaches are more accessible, welcoming and inclusive for people of all abilities.

“We are committed to delivering user-friendly services for all who live in or visit Mayo and are very pleased to have received Disability Participation and Awareness funding for the purchase of this equipment.”

Funding for this initiative was made available under Ireland’s Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 2021.

Mayo County Council will collaborate with local destination groups for the respective beaches to put in place a booking and management system for the use of the equipment. A partnership already exists for the management of a beach wheelchair on Keel Beach on Achill Island.

Deirdre Finnerty, Senior Executive Officer, Community & Integrated Development for Mayo County Council, said: “Mayo County Council is delighted to work with the local communities to put in place practical changes to make beaches in Mayo more accessible for people living with a disability.

“This upgrading of facilities removes barriers to accessing the designated beaches and has been made possible through the generous support of the Disability Participation and Awareness fund for 2021.”

Find out more about how to book an all-terrain beach wheelchair on Mayo County Council’s website.

For those looking to source an all-terrain wheelchair for clients, this month, all-terrain wheelchair specialist The Mountain Trike Company launched a foldable powered attendant wheelchair. Built on user feedback and launched at Naidex 2022, the new ePush promises a smooth, comfortable ride when travelling over tricky terrains.