ACCESS PLYMOUTH LIMITED

What ACCESS PLYMOUTH LIMITED does

Access Plymouth Limited is a Plymouth, UK-based registered charity (Charity No. 1143569) and private limited company (Company No. 07695327) that provides mobility equipment hire and accessible community transport for older and disabled residents. The organization operates from Mayflower East Car Park and a satellite scheme inside Drake Circus shopping centre, with services structured around three pillars: mobility equipment (Shopmobility short-term hire, long-term scooter and wheelchair hire, servicing and repairs, donated equipment acceptance), community transport (volunteer-driver Community Car at £1.20/mile, Dial-A-Ride accessible minibus service, Retail Shuttle, organized Access Trips day excursions, and dedicated Crematorium Minibus Hire), and supporter programmes (Access Friends annual membership, donations, fundraising, sponsorship, legacy giving, and volunteering including Plymouth Argyle match-day Access Argyle volunteers).

The underlying technology stack is minimal: there is no proprietary platform, no app, and no API; customer interaction is phone- and email-based during 9:15am-4pm office hours, with bookings taken directly. Distribution relies on volunteer drivers using their own vehicles, a small paid staff of 1-10, and 21 volunteers who contributed 7,644 hours in 2023. Marketing is community-led, centred on Facebook and Instagram, an email newsletter, downloadable flyers, and referral partnerships with Plymouth City Council, Plymouth CityBus, and Plymouth Drake Circus.

The revenue model combines usage-based fees from equipment hire and per-mile/per-trip transport fares with a donations layer comprising recurring Access Friends subscriptions (£20/year), one-time gifts, and legacy bequests. In 2023 the charity recorded 12,492 community transport trips and 4,212 equipment hires, with reported 100% customer satisfaction on the Community Car service. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the operation is funded through this mix of earned fees, council and partner support, and charitable giving.

Name

ACCESS PLYMOUTH LIMITED

Legal name

Access Plymouth Limited

Website

https://accessplymouth.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Access Plymouth Limited is a Plymouth-based UK charity that hires mobility scooters and wheelchairs and runs volunteer-driven accessible transport services (Community Car, Dial-A-Ride, day trips) for older and disabled residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mobility and Accessible Transport Services

NAICS

Special Needs Transportation (485991), Home Health Equipment Rental (532283)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobility Device Sales, Rental & Service (Wheelchairs, Scooters, Walkers) (HSABAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Door-to-Door Senior Ride Services (Non-Medical) (HSABAOAB), Accessible / Wheelchair-Accessible Taxi & Chauffeur (THADAEAK), Senior & Assisted-Living Demand-Responsive Transport (THAIAHAE), Accessible/Paratransit Bus & Coach Leasing/Rental (Wheelchair-Equipped) (TLABADAG)

Keywords

• Mobility equipment hire
• Community transport services
• Accessible travel
• Scooter wheelchair rental
• Disability mobility support

Headquarters

HQ city

Plymouth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Equipment Hire Services: Revenue generated from hiring out mobility scooters, powered and manual wheelchairs, and powerchairs through Shopmobility and Long-Term Hire programs. Customers pay daily, weekly, or monthly rental fees plus membership charges.
2. Community Transport Services: Revenue from transport services including Community Car (charged per mile plus admin fee) and Dial-A-Ride (distance-based fares). Provides door-to-door transport for people with mobility difficulties.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals, including Access Friends membership at £20/year, one-time donations, and legacy gifts in wills.
4. Legacy Donations: Bequests from supporters leaving gifts to Access Plymouth in their Wills, including pecuniary bequests, specific legacies, and residuary estate gifts.
5. Servicing and Repairs: Professional servicing and repairs for mobility scooters and wheelchairs, including routine maintenance, repairs, battery testing and replacement, with collection and delivery services available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Access Plymouth hires out mobility equipment (mobility scooters, manual and powered wheelchairs, powerchairs) through its Shopmobility and Long-Term Hire schemes, and provides accessible door-to-door transport across Plymouth via its Community Car volunteer driver scheme and Dial-A-Ride accessible minibus service. The charity also runs equipment servicing and repairs, organised accessible day trips (Access Trips), a crematorium minibus service, a retail shuttle, and donor/membership programmes (Access Friends, Legacy Donations, Volunteering and Sponsorship). Its customers are older and disabled residents of Plymouth and the surrounding South West England area who need temporary or ongoing mobility support to remain independent.

Product overview

Access Plymouth is a charity providing a comprehensive suite of mobility solutions for older and disabled people in Plymouth, UK. The core offerings include Shopmobility (scooter and wheelchair rental for city centre use), Long Term Equipment Hire (extended rentals of scooters and wheelchairs), Servicing and Repairs (maintenance for mobility equipment), and Donated Equipment (acceptance of used mobility aids). The transport services comprise Community Car (volunteer driver car sharing), Dial-A-Ride (door-to-door minibus service), Retail Shuttle, Access Trips (organized day excursions), and Crematorium Minibus Hire. Supporting programs include Access Friends membership, Legacy Donations, Volunteering opportunities, Fundraising, and Sponsorship. The organization operates from Mayflower East Car Park and satellite locations including Drake Circus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shopmobility National Shopmobility scheme renting out scooters and wheelchairs for use within Plymouth city centre pedestrian area to residents and visitors regardless of whether disability is permanent or temporary. Equipment available at £7.50 per day, with a satellite scheme at Drake Circus for mall-only hire. Customers pay a 12-month membership at £20 or a 3-week short-term visitors membership at £10.
• Long Term Equipment Hire Extended rental of mobility equipment including Go Go Elite Traveller Sport scooters and a range of manual and powered wheelchairs. Hire available by day (£6–£17), weekend (£24), week (£40–£80) or three weeks (£90), with a refundable deposit (£10–£50) and a £5 non-refundable booking fee. Targeted at users needing mobility equipment for periods beyond a single visit.
• Servicing and Repairs Professional servicing and repairs for mobility scooters and wheelchairs (powered and manual) including routine maintenance, annual check-ups, puncture repairs, battery testing and replacement, electrical fault diagnosis, and part replacements. Collection and delivery available. Fixed prices start at £25 (manual wheelchair maintenance), £70 (full scooter service, power wheelchair maintenance), with battery replacement and puncture repair priced on application.
• Donated Equipment Programme Acceptance programme for gently used mobility equipment including mobility scooters, manual wheelchairs, and power chairs. Helps reduce waste while supporting people with limited mobility through reuse.
• Community Car Not-for-profit car sharing scheme using volunteer drivers in their own vehicles to transport people with mobility problems to shops, appointments, and social activities. Charged at £1.20 per mile plus a £1.00 administration fee per journey, with a one-off £5.00 registration and a £1.00 cancellation fee per single journey. Pickups available 9:15am–4:15pm.
• Dial-A-Ride Accessible minibus service providing door-to-door group transport across Plymouth for eligible concessionary bus pass holders unable to use regular buses. Fares range from £6 (1–2 miles) to £13 (5–8 miles), with carers £3 per person, and over 8 miles priced on application. Buses accommodate up to 2 wheelchairs. Operates Monday to Friday 9:15am to 4:15pm.
• Retail Shuttle Transport shuttle service connecting customers to retail areas in Plymouth.
• Access Trips Organised accessible day trips for individuals or groups with mobility challenges to destinations around Plymouth and neighbouring areas including Fermoys Garden Centre, Cockington Court, Salcombe, Looe, Tavistock, and Paignton. Collection from home with phone booking; spaces are limited and allocated first-come first-served.
• Crematorium Minibus Hire Dedicated accessible minibus fleet providing transport to The Park crematorium in Plymouth. Minibus options accommodate 8 seated + 1 wheelchair, 11 seated + 2 wheelchairs, and 16 seated (no wheelchairs). Pick-up available from home, church, or other locations.
• Access Friends Membership Annual membership programme at £20 per year including 'The Message' newsletter three times yearly, a business card magnet, exclusive placement on the Access Friends wall, and entry in monthly prize draws. Serves as a recurring donor and community engagement programme supporting the charity's services.
• Legacy Donations Programme Charitable giving programme accepting gifts in Wills including pecuniary bequests, specific legacies, and residuary estate gifts to support ongoing mobility services for older and disabled residents.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12,492 trips made in 2023 for people aged 18-101
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Plymouth City CouncilcoreOthersPlymouth City Council provides support to Access Plymouth as evidenced by their logo displayed on the organization's 'Our Impact' page. The council is a key local government partner that may provide funding, referrals, and legitimacy for the charity's services to older and disabled residents.
• Plymouth CityBussupportingOthersPlymouth CityBus logo appears on Access Plymouth's website as a supporting partner. This indicates a collaborative relationship with the local bus operator, potentially involving cross-promotion or integrated transport solutions.
• Plymouth Drake CircussupportingOthersPlymouth Drake Circus shopping centre hosts a satellite Shopmobility scheme where equipment is available for hire within the shopping mall only. This partnership provides accessible shopping opportunities for mobility-impaired visitors to the mall.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• British Red Cross: The British Red Cross operates volunteer-led transport support services in the UK that help vulnerable, older and disabled people attend medical appointments and access the community. Its transport arm is directly comparable to Access Plymouth's Community Car service in terms of volunteer driver model and customer base.
• HCT Group: HCT Group is one of the UK's largest community transport charities, operating accessible local bus, community transport and demand-responsive services across multiple regions. It is the closest direct comparable to Access Plymouth's Dial-A-Ride and Community Car operations in terms of mission, customer base and operating model.
• Ealing Community Transport: Ealing Community Transport is a London-based charity providing accessible transport, Shopmobility-equivalent services and community support for older and disabled residents. It is a strong functional comparable for Access Plymouth's combined equipment-hire and community transport portfolio.
• CT Plus: CT Plus is a subsidiary of HCT Group operating local bus and community transport services in several UK regions. It mirrors Access Plymouth's combined model of accessible minibus services and community-based transport for older and disabled customers.

Broad incumbents

• Go-Ahead Group: Go-Ahead Group is a major UK public transport operator and the parent of Plymouth CityBus, Access Plymouth's local partner. While commercial rather than charitable, it operates accessible local bus services in the same Plymouth geography and competes for accessible passenger transport demand.
• Motability: Motability is the UK's leading mobility charity, enabling disabled people to lease cars, scooters and powered wheelchairs through a national scheme. While far larger and operating a different leasing model, it competes for the same end customer need — personal mobility for disabled people — making it a broad incumbent comparable.
• Age UK: Age UK is a national charity for older people whose local branches frequently coordinate or provide volunteer-driven transport services, lunch clubs and mobility support. It serves the same primary customer segment as Access Plymouth across a much broader national footprint.

Others

• Community Transport Association UK: The Community Transport Association UK is the national membership body representing community transport operators across the UK. It is an ecosystem participant that supports Access Plymouth through policy advocacy, training and sector benchmarking rather than direct service competition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/accessplym
• Instagraminstagram.com/accessplymouth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/access-plymouth-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ACCESS PLYMOUTH LIMITED