Getting their fill of service

But with the almost universal switch to self-service in petrol stations getting fuel can prove to a real obstacle. With the help of disabled driver Martin Seidenbird JANE O'CONNELL puts petrol stations in south-east Essex to the test

For most of us, getting petrol is a three-minute bore. For many disabled drivers, it can be a humiliating ordeal.

Although exact figures are hard to come by, it's believed there are around 20,000 disabled drivers in Britain (although the number may be far higher, as many choose not to belong to an association).

Many drive adapted cars, which makes them difficult to distinguish from their able-bodied counterparts - and which can spell embarrassment and anguish when it comes to filling up.

All too often, a disabled driver is left flashing lights, honking the horn or even hanging a Help! sign out of the window, as the recent BBC 2 magazine programme for the disabled From The Edge highlighted.

The TV programme's findings are nothing new to Paul Hicks, disabled information officer for the Essex Disabled People's Association. "A lot of our drivers will go to one place to fill up and will not get petrol anywhere else," he says.

"There are devices like Servicecall, a box which sits on your dashboard and sends an infrared signal to the garage, but that's only if the garage has one fitted.

"There's also a piece of plastic you can put in your windscreen, but of course not every disabled person wants to draw attention to themselves in this way."

To give This Is Essex readers an insight into how disabled drivers in south Essex fare, we took Martin Seidenbird, a disabled welfare officer with Southend social services, to three fuel stations in south Essex to see how he got on.

Martin, 49, was a fitness enthusiast until he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 17 years ago.

The illness eventually confined him to a wheelchair three years later, and he is now paralysed from the waist downwards. His disability does not, however, prevent him from leading an active life.

Martin travels alone and drives all round the country competing in disabled swimming competitions, so has become something of an expert on the pitfalls of getting petrol.

"The worst situation is late at night when there's only one person in the kiosk," he explains. "Often they won't come out because of security reasons. I always make sure I fill up at places I know during the day."

He can still manage to manoeuvre himself from his car to and from his wheelchair, which he can put into the car by taking off the wheels. It's nevertheless a hassle so he prefers to get help from the garage cashier or assistant whenever he can.

Our first port of call was at the Shell Milton Service Station in London Road, Westcliff.

Although the station wasn't busy - there was only one other car at the pump - Martin was ignored by the young girl at the cash desk.

After waiting five minutes, he manoeuvred himself from car to wheelchair and began filling up.

It was only after he had completed this task and was beginning to wheel himself towards the shop that another member of staff shot out of the shop to help him.

It was just as well: there was no ramp and the door was too heavy to push. Martin was, however, treated courteously and helped out of the shop once he had paid.

MARTIN'S VERDICT: "They were very helpful, but the girl should have alerted the other staff more quickly: they weren't busy. However, once they realised they were fine. This in my experience is what often happens."

A Shell spokesman said every effort was made to help disabled customers, including the installation of ramps where requested. The company also responded to requests to install Servicecall at cashdesks.

This a device fitted on the driver's dashboard, which, when pressed, alerts the cashier that a disabled person needs help.

Self-service - Martin waited five minutes to be helped at the Shell Milton garage in London Road, Leigh. He eventually gave up waiting, got his wheelchair out and helped himself. Only after he was on his way into the shop to pay did a member of staff come to help him - and he needed it. There was a step and two bollards to negotiate, something that able-bodied customers wouldn't give another thought to but a real obstacle course for someone in a wheelchair

Our second destination was the Tesco petrol station at the Prince Avenue, Southend store.

Martin had heard on the disabled grapevine that drivers who flashed their lights got instant attention. Although mid-morning on a weekday, the forecourt was choked with cars queuing up to get their fuel.

Inside the shop, the two cashiers were dealing with queues of people.

Martin drove round to the shop. He flashed his lights and sounded his horn, but was ignored by the two assistants - because they were too busy to notice.

Demoralised, he gave up after five minutes, and left without getting petrol.

HIS VERDICT: "Pretty hopeless. They were very busy, but there was no way they could see me, as they had their backs to the forecourt. It's the sort of place which I would avoid. There should be some alarm system on a pillar to alert staff.

A Tesco spokesman said: "You seem to have called at an unfortunate time. Customer service is incredibly important to us, and we've recently launched a disabled initiative, including Dial-a-Ride and special help with shopping.

"We have Servicecall and there's an informal system whereby people can flash their lights. There's also Fastcard, where customers can pay at the pump rather than going into the shop. It seems to have just been exceptionally busy when you called."

One service station which does get an unqualified thumbs-up from a disabled driver is the BP garage in Ashingdon Road, Rochford.

Mrs Ellen Ralph, 67, started going there about two weeks ago after moving from her home in Southend to sheltered housing at St Luke's Place, in the grounds of Rochford Hospital.

Mrs Ralph has a whole host of disabilities, including angina, arthritis, hardening of the arteries and spondylosis, a crippling spinal condition, all of which mean she can barely stand, let alone walk.

"I just went to along, flashed my lights and they came out in a moment," she says. "They are very good."

Service station manager Paul Billington, 45, from Ashingdon, said: "We're pleased this lady is pleased. We always do our best to try and help, no matter how busy we are."

Service with a smile - disabled driver Ellen Ralph gets top class service from her local BP garage in Ashingdon Road, Rochford

Lastly we went to the Texaco service station, London Road, Billericay.

Despite there being no other customers around, Martin again flashed his lights, but to no avail. He got out of his wheelchair and, dispirited, made his way towards the shop in order to buy some oil.

Although there was a ramp the door itself was far too heavy to manoeuvre his wheelchair through. However, once the cashier realised his plight, he immediately helped, and escorted Martin back to the shop.

MARTIN'S VERDICT: "About what you'd expect. Very helpful - but only once they see you need help."

A Texaco spokesman said: "All our staff are trained to assist the disabled. Unfortunately there is not yet a petrol pump that has been marketed specifically for the disabled, although all are designed to be a height that are suitable for the disabled.

"We urge any disabled person who is not happy to let us know and we will see how we can help."

Pictures: ROBIN WOOSEY & NICK ANSELL

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.