The Orkney ferries making life dfficult for disabled people

Trying to get through the door to reach the upper decks was my next hurdle. I had to step over an extremely high door threshold and, being unaware that I should duck simultaneously, banged my head against the top edge of the door.

After this, I faced a very steep staircase which was more like a ladder than a stairway. Climbing up was a challenge, even for someone relatively mobile, and coming down was even more tricky. Fortunately for me, Daniel, my producer, went ahead to break my fall should the worst happen.

While my main focus was on accessibility for people with disabilities, it quickly became apparent that these ferries present challenges for everyone – especially parents with young children and any older people with mobility issues.

The staff were excellent and did their best to help, but were extremely aware of the problems. One employee, who preferred to remain anonymous, told me: “It’s embarrassing for us. We know how difficult it is for passengers, and it’s equally difficult for us to help them, given the age and condition of the fleet.”

On my second day, I went to Westray to meet a couple of disabled residents to hear their experiences.

This ferry trip was longer, but the vessel was no more accessible and I suffered yet another glancing blow as I climbed to the passenger seating area.