Taxi Driver Online :: View topic - Dumfries taxis slated for lack of disabled access

Disgraceful almost as bad as the Scottish Borders, we need legislation to sort out these areas where the wheelchair bound can't get taxis.

CC

captain cab wrote:

Disgraceful almost as bad as the Scottish Borders, we need legislation to sort out these areas where the wheelchair bound can't get taxis.

CC

There are around 20 WAVs in the Borders over half have never carried a wheelchair and are by-passed by the public on the rank even 1 punter who is in a chair prefers a saloon

and refuses to get into a WAV

Kettle calling i think CC :roll:

skippy41 wrote:

captain cab wrote:

Disgraceful almost as bad as the Scottish Borders, we need legislation to sort out these areas where the wheelchair bound can't get taxis.

CC

There are around 20 WAVs in the Borders over half have never carried a wheelchair and are by-passed by the public on the rank even 1 punter who is in a chair prefers a saloon

and refuses to get into a WAV

Kettle calling i think CC :roll:

Not really, what you need up there is a WAV only policy, thus ensuring you all

Quote:

comply with the DDA.

We are complying they say as many different types of vehicle

Disgraceful almost as bad as the Scottish Borders, we need legislation to sort out these areas where the wheelchair bound can't get taxis.

CC

captain cab wrote:

Disgraceful almost as bad as the Scottish Borders, we need legislation to sort out these areas where the wheelchair bound can't get taxis.

CC

Have to agree, Cap. What the borders need is 100% WAV.

Does the Scottish parliament have a petitions website?

Crank...Crank...Crank...whirrrr....whirrr, Is that the sound of winding up I hear??

Dear Scottish Borders Council,

Me and my colleague Jimbo were recently on a whirlwind tour of your fine area.

We travelled from Eyemouth in the east, through Duns, Coldstream, Kelso, Jedburgh, Newtown St Boswells, Melrose, Hawick, Galashiels, Selkirk, Innerleithen, Peebles. We even went as far south as Newcastleton and as far west as West Linton.

We found out some very interesting facts, there are 111,000 people in your area, you license 250 (ish) taxis and private hire cars.

We know there are people with serious problems in your area, in actual fact one posts on a website to which myself and Jimbo subscribe, to us this is positive proof that your area needs more wheelchair accessible vehicles.

On our visit we didnt see a single wheelchair taxi. We are led to believe there are 20 such vehicles available, but most appear to be private hire, therefore able to charge passengers what they see as fit.

There are approximately 1 wheelchair cab per 5500 residents, lets hope these people dont start socialising anytime soon huh!

Your figures compare terribly with your surrounding areas, Carlisle for example, with a similar population to your own has 1 wheelchair cab per 1000 residents.

I notice your council claim 85% of your buildings have disabled access, you may as well forget this boast, as the public transport you provide will almost certainly lead to the wheelchair bound never finding out!

Regards

CC

wasnt the original gripe about the Dumfries area.

bloodnock wrote:

wasnt the original gripe about the Dumfries area.

Skippy doesnt work there :lol:

Author:	captain cab [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:26 am ]
Post subject:	Dumfries taxis slated for lack of disabled access
Dumfries taxis slated for lack of disabled access ONLY four percent of taxis in Dumfries have access for disabled passengers. Regional co-ordinator for the Coalition of Disabled People, John Dowson, blasted the figure as “lamentable” this week and urged the council not to renew taxi licences unless operators are prepared to put accessible vehicles on the street. He said: “We have been raising concerns about the accessibility and safety issues of taxis in the region for years. “Taxis should be taken off the road completely until they are accessible, as they are discriminating against disabled people. “We should be following the likes of South Ayrshire Council where 100 per cent of their taxis are accessible and also have meters. “In this region, some disabled people think they are being overcharged. “It’s a lottery in Dumfries and Galloway because you don’t know how much the fare is going to be. “A condition of the licence should be that every vehicle is metered.” Mr Dowson added: “Four per cent is a shocking figure which must be addressed. “It’s time for Dumfries and Galloway Council to do something about it. “Councillors have run away from this for years because they know operators don’t want to do it because it will cost them money.” Presently, there are only 11 accessible taxis and private hire vehicles in Annan, Eskdale and Nithsdale, three in Wigtownshire and none in the Stewartry. Ian Walker of the Accessible Transport Forum said: “We have had feedback in the past that disabled people are not satisfied with the number of accessible taxis in the region. “Disabled people are obviously in a very disadvantaged position if there are no accessible taxis in the Stewartry. “We would like to see more taxis accessible, although I don’t see the need for 100 per cent of them to be. “We would also like to see meters in all taxis, but it’s not that simple. “As well as the initial cost to buy them, they are very expensive to maintain. “The accuracy of the meters also has to be checked every year.” The Standard recently revealed that only half of all taxis in Dumfries are not fit to be on the road. Police figures showed that 43 per cent of taxis and private hire cars stopped, failed road safety inspections. Dumfries Councillor David McKie said he was “alarmed” at the figures, and called for tougher measures to be put in place so that taxis are up to an acceptable standard to carry passengers.

Author:	gusmac [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 4:47 pm ]
Post subject:
Perhaps Mr John Dowson should find out the difference between a taxi and a PH.

Author:	captain cab [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 6:02 pm ]
Post subject:
Disgraceful almost as bad as the Scottish Borders, we need legislation to sort out these areas where the wheelchair bound can't get taxis. CC

Author:	skippy41 [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 7:14 pm ]
Post subject:
captain cab wrote: Disgraceful almost as bad as the Scottish Borders, we need legislation to sort out these areas where the wheelchair bound can't get taxis. CC There are around 20 WAVs in the Borders over half have never carried a wheelchair and are by-passed by the public on the rank even 1 punter who is in a chair prefers a saloon and refuses to get into a WAV Kettle calling i think CC

Author:	captain cab [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 7:15 pm ]
Post subject:
skippy41 wrote: captain cab wrote: Disgraceful almost as bad as the Scottish Borders, we need legislation to sort out these areas where the wheelchair bound can't get taxis. CC There are around 20 WAVs in the Borders over half have never carried a wheelchair and are by-passed by the public on the rank even 1 punter who is in a chair prefers a saloon and refuses to get into a WAV Kettle calling i think CC Not really, what you need up there is a WAV only policy, thus ensuring you all comply with the DDA. CC

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Author:	skippy41 [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 7:17 pm ]
Post subject:
captain cab wrote: skippy41 wrote: captain cab wrote: Disgraceful almost as bad as the Scottish Borders, we need legislation to sort out these areas where the wheelchair bound can't get taxis. CC There are around 20 WAVs in the Borders over half have never carried a wheelchair and are by-passed by the public on the rank even 1 punter who is in a chair prefers a saloon and refuses to get into a WAV Kettle calling i think CC Not really, what you need up there is a WAV only policy, thus ensuring you all Quote: comply with the DDA. CC We are complying they say as many different types of vehicle

Author:	captain cab [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 7:25 pm ]
Post subject:
skippy41 wrote: We are complying they say as many different types of vehicle Apart from those that sit on things called taxi ranks CC

Author:	jimbo [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 7:52 pm ]
Post subject:
captain cab wrote: Disgraceful almost as bad as the Scottish Borders, we need legislation to sort out these areas where the wheelchair bound can't get taxis. CC Have to agree, Cap. What the borders need is 100% WAV. Does the Scottish parliament have a petitions website?

Author:	bloodnock [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 8:07 pm ]
Post subject:
jimbo wrote: captain cab wrote: Disgraceful almost as bad as the Scottish Borders, we need legislation to sort out these areas where the wheelchair bound can't get taxis. CC Have to agree, Cap. What the borders need is 100% WAV. Does the Scottish parliament have a petitions website? Crank...Crank...Crank...whirrrr....whirrr, Is that the sound of winding up I hear?? This is the borders....the land of the poor, If they said it was to be WAV only then it would be unaffordable, there just isnt the work to merit the costs, we'd love to be more obliging to the DDA. If every vehicle had to be a WAV then we would only have a quarter of the Taxis that there are now and yes..the wheelchair bound would be well served but hardly anybody else would be. You high flying multi Millionaire city taxi boys just dont see how it is here, Taxi drivers begging in the streets and worse the poor PH having to go to the soup kitchen for hand outs...

Author:	captain cab [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 8:45 pm ]
Post subject:
jimbo wrote: Have to agree, Cap. What the borders need is 100% WAV. Does the Scottish parliament have a petitions website? Not too sure, but I suppose letters from Lincoln and Carlisle to the council and the local rag pointing out our obvious dismay at the supply of wavs wouldn't go amiss. CC

Author:	captain cab [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 9:50 pm ]
Post subject:
Dear Scottish Borders Council, Me and my colleague Jimbo were recently on a whirlwind tour of your fine area. We travelled from Eyemouth in the east, through Duns, Coldstream, Kelso, Jedburgh, Newtown St Boswells, Melrose, Hawick, Galashiels, Selkirk, Innerleithen, Peebles. We even went as far south as Newcastleton and as far west as West Linton. We found out some very interesting facts, there are 111,000 people in your area, you license 250 (ish) taxis and private hire cars. We know there are people with serious problems in your area, in actual fact one posts on a website to which myself and Jimbo subscribe, to us this is positive proof that your area needs more wheelchair accessible vehicles. On our visit we didnt see a single wheelchair taxi. We are led to believe there are 20 such vehicles available, but most appear to be private hire, therefore able to charge passengers what they see as fit. There are approximately 1 wheelchair cab per 5500 residents, lets hope these people dont start socialising anytime soon huh! Your figures compare terribly with your surrounding areas, Carlisle for example, with a similar population to your own has 1 wheelchair cab per 1000 residents. I notice your council claim 85% of your buildings have disabled access, you may as well forget this boast, as the public transport you provide will almost certainly lead to the wheelchair bound never finding out! Regards CC

Author:	captain cab [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 9:57 pm ]
Post subject:
bloodnock wrote: Crank...Crank...Crank...whirrrr....whirrr, Is that the sound of winding up I hear?? Possibly CC

Author:	bloodnock [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 10:03 pm ]
Post subject:
captain cab wrote: Dear Scottish Borders Council, Me and my colleague Jimbo were recently on a whirlwind tour of your fine area. We travelled from Eyemouth in the east, through Duns, Coldstream, Kelso, Jedburgh, Newtown St Boswells, Melrose, Hawick, Galashiels, Selkirk, Innerleithen, Peebles. We even went as far south as Newcastleton and as far west as West Linton. We found out some very interesting facts, there are 111,000 people in your area, you license 250 (ish) taxis and private hire cars. We know there are people with serious problems in your area, in actual fact one posts on a website to which myself and Jimbo subscribe, to us this is positive proof that your area needs more wheelchair accessible vehicles. On our visit we didnt see a single wheelchair taxi. We are led to believe there are 20 such vehicles available, but most appear to be private hire, therefore able to charge passengers what they see as fit. There are approximately 1 wheelchair cab per 5500 residents, lets hope these people dont start socialising anytime soon huh! Your figures compare terribly with your surrounding areas, Carlisle for example, with a similar population to your own has 1 wheelchair cab per 1000 residents. I notice your council claim 85% of your buildings have disabled access, you may as well forget this boast, as the public transport you provide will almost certainly lead to the wheelchair bound never finding out! Regards CC Oh...and whilst your on to them....ask them how many dozens of charity wheels group are operating in the area...the ones that do it for free with nice new charity paid vehicles, and who makes it impossible for anyone else to remotely have a chance of doing it for profit. the wheelchair users are catered for by many groups. anyways, wasnt the original gripe about the Dumfries area.

Author:	captain cab [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 10:05 pm ]
Post subject:
bloodnock wrote: wasnt the original gripe about the Dumfries area. Skippy doesnt work there CC

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Author:	bloodnock [ Sun Sep 20, 2009 2:32 am ]
Post subject:
captain cab wrote: bloodnock wrote: wasnt the original gripe about the Dumfries area. Skippy doesnt work there CC Now why Didnt I think of that