Disabled man’s motorised scooter anger (From York Press)

Disabled man John Gales’s anger as motorised scooters from The Great British Mobility Group break down

1:51pm Wednesday 18th November 2009 in Sorted By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

A DISABLED man who was stranded in his York home when his motorised scooter broke down should soon have his freedom of the pavement restored.

A mobility company has promised to do its best to get John Gales’s scooter repaired and back to him before the end of the week, following inquiries by The Press.

Mr Gales, 61, of Swann Street, off Nunnery Lane, contacted the newspaper to tell of the problems he had experienced since he bought a new scooter in July from The Great British Mobility Group.

He said the scooter, which cost him £2,000 plus his old scooter in part-exchange, broke down in September. He said he was stranded for several days until the scooter was collected for repair under its warranty and a second hand scooter was loaned to him.

However, he said that more than a fortnight ago, the loan scooter also broke down and he claimed he reported this to the company.

He said it had not been repaired and he had been unable ever since to get further than his local corner shop, to which he could walk with difficulty.

“I haven’t been able to get out to the shops in Bishopthorpe Road or get to the doctors,” he said.

“I’ve been stranded in my own home.”

Today, Sandy Hinks, group operations manager for The Great British Mobility Group, apologised for delays in repairing the original scooter, and held out hope it would be returned to Mr Gales within days.

She said that after Mr Gales reported the problem with his new scooter in September, it was collected for repair and a loan scooter given to him.

“We established the problem and the relevant part was ordered,” she said.

“There has been a delay in obtaining the part to fix his scooter.” She claimed the company had no record of Mr Gales’s loan scooter not working and of him being left stranded within his home. “If we were aware of our loan scooter breaking down, we would of course replace this for him as soon as possible,” she said. “We apologise for the delay with his repair and we will endeavour to get his fixed scooter re- delivered back to him this week.”