Portable Wheelchair Lifting Assembly

A portable wheelchair lifting assembly 10 is provided for loading and unloading a physically disabled person to and from a vehicle to allow their operation of that vehicle, such as a fork lift truck or digger. The wheelchair lifting assembly comprises a platform 12 for supporting a wheelchair (14 fig. 6) and a wheelchair user, a pneumatic or hydraulic drive system 24 to control ascent and descent of the platform, a barrier 36, 40, 56, 60 at each side of the platform, a first said barrier 36 being a ramp for providing wheelchair access onto the platform, and a second said barrier 40 being moveable to facilitate a wheelchair user transferring between their wheelchair (14 fig. 6) and a location exterior of the assembly. The second barrier 40 may comprise a pivotable arm 46 with locking means 52. A footplate 28 may extend at least partially around the platform 12 and may include at least one hinged bridging portion 32. The ramp 36 and drive system 24 may be operated from the platform 24 by means of flexible elongate assistance device 38 or a winch and by means of user console (72 fig. 3) respectively.