Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Travellers with disabilities
PHONING HOME
To Australia
T
0061 + area code without
the zero + number
To Ireland
T
00353 + area code without
the zero + number
To New Zealand
T
0064 + area code
without the zero + number
To South Africa
T
0027 + area code
without the zero + number
To US and Canada
T
001 + area
code + number
Scottish attitudes towards travellers with
disabili-
ties
still lag behind advances towards independ-
ence made in North America and Australia. Access
to many public buildings has improved, with legis-
lation ensuring that all new buildings have appro-
priate facilities. Some hotels and a handful of B&Bs
have one or two adapted rooms, usually on the
ground floor and with step-free showers, grab rails
and wider doorways. It's worth keeping in mind,
however, that installing ramps, lifts, wide doorways
and disabled toilets is impossible in many of
Scotland's older and historic buildings.
Most
trains
in Scotland have wheelchair lifts and
assistance is, in theory, available at all manned
stations - for more, go to
W
scotrail.co.uk and click
on “Facilities”. Wheelchair-users and blind or partially
sighted people are automatically given thirty to
forty percent reductions on train fares, and people
with other disabilities are eligible for the
Disabled
Persons Railcard
(£20/year;
W
disabledpersons-
railcard.co.uk), which gives a third off most tickets.
There are no bus discounts for disabled tourists.
Car
rental
firm Avis will fit their cars with Lynx Hand
Controls for free as long as you give them a few
days' notice.
For more information and advice contact the
disability charity Capability Scotland (
T
0131 313
5510
W
capability-scotland.org.uk).
percent of the total bill (unless service has already
been included). It's not normal, however, to leave tips
in pubs, although bar staff are sometimes offered
drinks, which they may accept in the form of money.
The only other occasions when you'll be expected to
tip are in hairdressers, taxis and smart hotels, where
porters, bellboys and table waiters rely on being
tipped to bump up their often dismal wages.
Tourist information
The o
cial tourist board is known as
VisitScotland
(
W
visitscotland.com) and they run
tourist o
ces
(often called Visitor Information Centres, or even
“VICs”) in virtually every Scottish town. Opening
hours are often fiendishly complex and often
change at short notice.
As well as being stacked full of souvenirs and
other gifts, most TICs have a decent selection of
leaflets, displays, maps and books relating to the
local area. The staff are usually helpful and will do
their best to help with enquiries about accommo-
dation, local transport, attractions and restaurants,
although it's worth being aware that they're
sometimes reluctant to divulge information about
local attractions or accommodation options that
are not paid-up members of the Tourist Board, and
a number of perfectly decent guesthouses and the
like choose not to pay the fees.
Working in Scotland
All Swiss nationals and EEA citizens can work in
Scotland without a permit, though Bulgarian,
Croatian and Romanian nationals may need to
apply for permission. Other nationals need a
work
permit
in order to work legally in the UK, with eligi-
bility worked out on a points-based system. There
are exceptions to the above rules, and these are
constantly changing, so for the latest regulations
visit
W
ukvisas.gov.
