1 September 2026

The assessment was carried out by Brendan Rogan (Driving Assessor) and Nicola Nelson (OT) from Disability Action at Ballymena outreach centre.

During the assessment, John successfully demonstrated his ability to drive using specialist vehicle adaptations, including joystick steering, joystick accelerator and brake controls and a head-operated indicator system
John Gaston who lives with Muscular Dystrophy, manages his family farm on the outskirts of Ballymena and previously held a manual driving licence. Following five specialist training sessions with Norman McLeer (Driving Assessor), he successfully completed his assessment using the adapted vehicle.
The WAV funded by the Motability Foundation includes a wide range of specialist adaptations, ensuring disabled people with more complex mobility requirements have the opportunity to demonstrate their driving ability in an appropriate vehicle.

For disabled people, access to the right assessment vehicle can be the difference between losing independence and retaining choice, connection to work, family and community life. The new WAV strengthens Disability Action’s ability to deliver specialist driving assessment and support across Northern Ireland.

Angela Hutchinson, Senior Manager, Mobility Centre NI, Disability Action said,

“Driving is about far more than getting from A to B. For many disabled people, it is central to work, family life, community participation and independence. This first high-tech assessment shows exactly why specialist equipment and expertise matter. Our new WAV gives people with more complex mobility requirements a fair opportunity to demonstrate what they can do, safely and confidently. John’s success is a brilliant example of what happens when we remove the barrier rather than expecting the person to fit around it."