Exeter family stranded for eight hours after AA failure

An Exeter man with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) endured an eight-hour ordeal with his family after their van broke down on the M20, with the AA repeatedly failing to provide a suitable wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV).

Peter Eveleigh, who was diagnosed with MND in April 2022, is fully dependent on a powered wheelchair and requires a specialist vehicle with rear access, a low floor, and enough space for his wheelchair and 6’3” frame.

Despite making these needs clear, Peter, his wife Jess, 33, and their four-year-old son Oliver were left in inappropriate waiting conditions before being put up in a hotel at midnight instead of being safely transported home.

The incident occurred on 12 November 2024, when the family’s van broke down on their way home from Disneyland Paris. Peter and Jess immediately contacted the AA under both their own and Peter’s father-in-law’s accounts, clearly stating that they required a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.

However, the family spent hours waiting in unsuitable locations before enduring multiple failed transport attempts.

The AA initially responded within 30-45 minutes, but the family had to wait nearly two more hours before a Highways England engineer arrived to close the lane. Instead of being taken to a service station with proper facilities, they were left in an Asda car park while the AA tried to arrange transportation.

Peter said:

“It took nearly two hours before a traffic officer could close the lane so the AA truck could pick us up - a delay I completely understand. However, when the driver finally took us off the motorway, instead of bringing us to a service station with hot food and proper facilities, he dumped us at an Asda car park.

“He said it was because of traffic, but honestly, it felt like he just wanted to clock off his shift. It wasn’t safe, it wasn’t warm, and it certainly wasn’t suitable for a family with a disabled passenger and a young child.

“With no seating or café, we had nowhere to go and no way to get warm. We had no choice but to sit in the cold van and wait for the next steps.”

Despite being told that a suitable WAV would be sent to take them home to Exeter, the first taxi that arrived was a large people carrier - 'completely unsuitable'. Hours later, another unsuitable vehicle arrived, with the driver assuming Peter could transfer out of his wheelchair, something he physically cannot do.

Peter described the frustration of being repeatedly let down:

“By this point, we had spent three hours sitting in a cold, dark car park with our exhausted son, while my in-laws kept trying to find a way to get us home.

“Eventually, after exhausting every other option, and literally having to bend my neck to get into a third car which was uncomfortable and humiliating, the AA decided to put us in a hotel for the night.

“But even then, there were more delays. Another AA repairman had to come back to charge the van battery before we could leave as the tow truck didn’t have one.”

The family was assured that their van would be fixed overnight and ready for them to drive home the next morning. However, they woke up to more delays, more phone calls, and miscommunication. The repair was not finished until 1.45pm - nearly 24 hours after they had broken down.

Peter believes the experience caused him to develop a cold, as he was in hospital four days later. People with MND are at higher risk of chest infections and pneumonia, making exposure to cold temperatures particularly dangerous.

Despite the emotional and physical toll of the experience, the AA has only offered £120 in compensation as of 29 January 2025. According to Jess, the emails from the AA “seem AI-generated” and no apology has been issued.

Peter expressed his disappointment in how the AA handled the situation:

“I expected the AA to take this seriously, but their response was completely inadequate. Instead of a proper apology, an explanation, or any reassurance that this wouldn’t happen again, they simply offered £120.

“There was no explanation of what went wrong, no promise to fix their policies, and no guarantee that if this happened again, we wouldn’t be left stranded once more.

“This entire experience has left me feeling like a burden - like the AA had no idea what to do with a disabled customer. They have a responsibility under the Equality Act 2010 to provide proper assistance, but they completely failed us.”

Peter is now hesitant to travel long distances, fearing that if he breaks down again, he will be left stranded once more.

“What happens to another wheelchair user in this situation? What if it’s an elderly couple? A family with more complex needs? The AA clearly doesn’t have a proper policy for disabled customers, and that’s unacceptable.”

“I want a full explanation, compensation for this ordeal, and a clear commitment from the AA to fix their policies for disabled customers. This isn’t just about me - it’s about ensuring that no other disabled person goes through this.”

The MND Association has weighed in on the incident, highlighting the broader issue of travel barriers for people with Motor Neurone Disease.

Tim Atkinson, National Campaigns Manager at the MND Association, said:

“Unfortunately, Peter’s experience is not uncommon as many people with MND often face barriers to travelling safely and comfortably.

“Because MND is a progressive illness, people living with the disease must constantly adapt their travel arrangements but large companies such as the AA must be more aware of and empathetic to the needs of our community.

“Vehicle adaptations are so important in guaranteeing safety, independence and dignity – allowing families like the Eveleigh’s to go and experience brilliant trips to places like Disneyland.

“Whether you have MND or not, nobody should be made to feel helpless or ashamed simply because the correct vehicle hasn't been provided by a specialist breakdown service.”

The MND Association is urging greater awareness of vehicle adaptations for people with MND, which can be found on their website.

An AA spokesperson has since commented on the situation:

“Our teams work hard to help all our members, whatever their needs, including the arrangement of accessible onward travel, where necessary. Clearly, on this occasion, the high standards that we normally expect and deliver have fallen short, and for this, we apologise.

“Though the delays resulting from lane closures for the safe removal of the broken-down vehicle were beyond our control, we do accept there are other areas where we should have performed better. We have taken measures to help mitigate a recurrence and have communicated these steps to our Member and Mr Eveleigh.

“In addition to covering the cost of the repairs to the broken-down vehicle, our Customer Solutions team continue to work with Mr Eveleigh to find a satisfactory resolution.”