SIA’s two-year Travel with Confidence project, funded by the Motability Foundation, came to an end in March. Here we look back on the project – how it’s exceeded its goals and on the legacy it’s left
Back in August 2025, we launched our new Travel Hub – initial feedback and ongoing insights from the SCI community directly helped us to shape the hub to be as useful as possible to disabled travellers. The 44 information sheets, 11 videos and 5 podcast episodes we produced cover a huge range of topics, from navigating public transport to understanding wheelchair provision, planning accessible days out to adapting vehicles.
Overall, users reported a 12% increase in their confidence to travel after accessing the Travel Hub resources. Nearly 70% said they gained a better understanding of wheelchair and equipment provision. Importantly, we have heard countless stories from people who went on to make a journey or try something new after accessing the Hub.
I followed the advice regarding travelling by plane and have flown with my family to Spain. Both British Airways and the Gatwick accessibility team were extremely helpful and respectful and they ensured everything went smoothly. I’ve also since travelled by train and booked travel assist in advance with the same positive support.
Empowering people to travel
During the project our SCI specialist therapists helped people navigate wheelchair services, manage pain and fatigue, and find practical solutions to help people access community life. Our members said the support they received helped them ‘have things to look forward to again’, secure ‘life-changing’ equipment, and ‘more easily spend time with family and go out into the community’.
SIA’s Frank Williams Academy held an online spotlight event in March which was attended by 156 people. The project therapists and people with lived experience of SCI shared their top tips for preparing and navigating journeys.
It was very uplifting to listen to all the stories of wheelchair users’ travels. They inspired me to venture out more and also be kind to myself, which I often forget.
Campaigning for change
To shine a light on the major challenges that disabled people face in accessing public transport in the UK, we ran a ‘Travel Challenge’ campaign, asking six SIA members to travel from their hometown to London on public transport and report back on their experience. This campaign received significant media attention and response from transport operators, helping us highlight the every-day problems disabled people face when travelling. You can read about the experiences our testers had on this challenge by clicking the button below:
Amazing work from SIA in showcasing just how important accessibility is for building confidence and independence when travelling.
Alongside this, SIA delivered targeted policy and influencing work, including partnering with the Wheelchair Alliance, helping to establish the government’s Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group, and influencing the Passenger Railway Services Act.
We are excited to build on the momentum we have gained to work towards accessible, confident travel becoming a reality for everyone living with spinal cord injury.
SIA would like to thank Motability Foundation for funding this important work, and everyone involved for making the project a success.
