A new study has revealed that Oxford is the best city for people in wheelchairs to live or visit in the UK, as it has the highest proportion of wheelchair-friendly restaurants, outdoor activities, parking areas, and public toilets.
The research, carried out by experts at leading stairlift company Halton Stairlifts, analysed five key factors across 81 major UK cities to assess their level of wheelchair accessibility.
These factors included the availability of wheelchair-accessible restaurants, tours and outdoor activities, accommodation, disabled parking areas, and public toilets per 100,000 residents.
A weighting was then assigned to each factor, reflecting its importance within the analysis, and used to calculate an overall index score out of 100 for each entry, upon which the final ranking is based.
According to the findings, Oxford is the most wheelchair-accessible city in the UK, with a score of 90.54. The city offers 163 wheelchair-friendly restaurants and 115 accessible attractions, combined with 37 disabled parking areas and 37 accessible public toilets. Oxford is by far the most inclusive city in the ranking, with a score 43.1% higher than the runner-up.
The UK’s most wheelchair-accessible cities
| Rank | City | Overall score |
| 1. | Oxford | 90.54 |
| 2. | York | 63.27 |
| 3. | Blackpool | 61.71 |
| 4. | Glasgow | 60.33 |
| 5. | Brighton and Hove | 58.64 |
| 6. | Reading | 58.57 |
| 7. | Edinburgh | 58.10 |
| 8. | Cambridge | 55.46 |
| 9. | Telford | 54.26 |
| 10. | Bournemouth | 54.25 |
With a score of 63.27, York secures second place. While the city has a great number of wheelchair-accessible restaurants and activities, 243 and 46, respectively, its score drops because there aren’t many parking and toilet options with disability access—only eight parking areas with disability parking and 10 accessible public toilets.
Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, scores 60.33. The city ranked particularly highly in factors such as parking areas and toilets with disability access—275 and 75 wheelchair-accessible parking and toilets, respectively—but its ranking dropped due to the scarcity of wheelchair-accessible units in hotels (only 18).
Despite its hilly terrain, Edinburgh scores 58.10, reflecting efforts to improve accessibility in key areas. The city received an above-average score for all but one factor—toilets with disability access (there are only 19). Though above the average, the number of hotel units entirely accessible received a 5.11 score—only 34 units.
With a score of 55.46, Cambridge’s historic colleges and museums have made strides in accessibility, with the city receiving a 7.07 score for the tours and outdoor activities factor—there are 45 wheelchair-accessible activities available. However, the city still has room for improvement in parking areas and toilets with disability access—15 and 7, respectively.
Neil McKenzie, director at Halton Stairlifts, commented on the findings: “While it’s encouraging to see places like Oxford, which has a stellar ranking, leading the way, there’s a clear indication that many cities need to prioritise improvements in accessibility.”
