You can understand the council wanting to protect local jobs, but how many bits are now sourced from China?
And aren't the Mercs convected in Coventry? Can't they take the electric wheelchairs?
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| Author: | Brummie Cabbie [ Sat Jun 23, 2012 4:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against council |
Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against Coventry City Council June 23, 2012 A dispute over black cabs failing to stop for disabled passengers could see taxi drivers take Coventry City Council to court. Disabled people in the city sparked the row when they complained they were being left in the cold by taxi drivers who refused to pick them up. But cabbies claim larger electric wheelchairs simply do not fit in the Coventry-made black cabs – and say the council is refusing to let them switch some of the city’s taxi fleet to bigger foreign manufactured vans. They claim the council is trying to protect jobs at taxi manufacturer LTI in Holyhead Road. But they are warning legal action could be mounted if they can’t choose their own make of specially adapted vehicle. Wheelchair users have told the Telegraph about the problems they face getting home. City College student Josh Sapey, 24, who has cerebral palsy, said: “After nights out, we are always left at the side of the road whilst able-bodied people are picked up instead. Once, a cab drove off after we opened the door.” Stephanie Holt, 28, from Tile Hill, who also has cerebral palsy, said: “It happens all the time when I go out in my electric wheelchair. It could be because they can’t be bothered with us.” Councillor Richard Sandy (Labour, Westwood) said: “Late-night driving is not an option for wheelchair users and buses don’t run late at night. “It has a negative effect on living an independent lifestyle. “For those taxis who are allowed to pick up some wheelchair users and don’t, I’d suggest filing a complaint with the council.” Imran Zaman, chairman of Coventry Taxi Association, said standard LTI-built black cabs could only take manual wheelchairs or small electric ones – and agreed any driver failing to pick those up should be complained about. But he said larger electric wheelchairs only fit in sideways, which flouted health and safety rules. He added: “We have been lobbying the council for these specially adapted vehicles for two years but, because of a law dating back to 1885, taxis must have a 25ft turning circle, meaning specially adapted vehicles don’t fit the criteria. “The council has also said they want to protect the black cab as a Coventry-built icon employing Coventry people.” Bill Parish, from Allied Vehicles, which provides the adapted vehicles, said: “In the past we have mounted a legal challenge to Liverpool Council to let us provide taxis for disabled people and we won. “We wouldn’t want it to get to that stage in Coventry but we would consider it. “If they have these vehicles in Liverpool and Birmingham, why can’t they in Coventry?” A spokesman for Coventry City Council said the issue was due to be considered by Coun Lindsley Harvard shortly. City black cab maker LTI said: “Coventry’s licensing standards are among the highest for taxis. “All our taxis fit ‘reference’ wheelchairs set to special measurements used on other vehicles like trains and buses. We provide what is the recognised standard.” Source; http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/c ... -31242540/ |
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| Author: | Brummie Cabbie [ Sat Jun 23, 2012 4:51 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against cou |
Quote: “All our taxis fit ‘reference’ wheelchairs set to special measurements used on other vehicles like trains and buses. We provide what is the recognised standard.” That's one I haven't heard before from LTI. |
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| Author: | edders23 [ Sat Jun 23, 2012 5:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against cou |
There is no such thing as a "standard wheelchair" I drive a "foreign manufactured" wav and many won't fit into that. BUT many disabled people do not or WILL NOT understand that. You have to damage your vehicle trying to get their oversize overweight electric wheelchair in before they will accept that they don't fit so I'm not surprised that there are complaints on both sides |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Sat Jun 23, 2012 5:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against cou |
You can understand the council wanting to protect local jobs, but how many bits are now sourced from China? And aren't the Mercs convected in Coventry? Can't they take the electric wheelchairs?
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| Author: | edders23 [ Sat Jun 23, 2012 5:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against cou |
Sussex wrote: You can understand the council wanting to protect local jobs, but how many bits are now sourced from China? And aren't the Mercs convected in Coventry? Can't they take the electric wheelchairs? There speaks a man who doesn't drive a wav !! 
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| Author: | charles007 [ Sat Jun 23, 2012 9:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against cou |
What about the High court ruling in liverpool, all they have to do is put a application of one of the other cabs and let the courts do the job. |
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| Author: | grandad [ Sun Jun 24, 2012 9:35 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against cou |
edders23 wrote: There is no such thing as a "standard wheelchair" I drive a "foreign manufactured" wav and many won't fit into that. BUT many disabled people do not or WILL NOT understand that. You have to damage your vehicle trying to get their oversize overweight electric wheelchair in before they will accept that they don't fit so I'm not surprised that there are complaints on both sides With respect the chap from LTI didn't mention a "standard wheelchair" He stated that the vehicles were made to fit a "reference wheelchair" and made to a "recognised standard". The fact that the reference wheelchair being used is no longer the size that users are buying is not the fault of LTI. It is the fault of the people setting the size of the reference chair. If a driver of an LTI vehicle stopped and pointed out to one of these users that the only way they would fit in the vehicle would be sideways, how many of the punters would just say that they were happy to do this even though they were putting themselves in danger? How many would say "Oh I see the problem now sorry for troubling you"? |
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| Author: | Nidge2 [ Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:26 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against cou |
Find the drivers then do a test flag down, if they pull off take them off the road it's simple really. |
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| Author: | tom2907 [ Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:59 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against cou |
The article on page 30, of the following contains everything the Coventry lads need, to refuse wheelchairs, until such a time as they get access to a vehicle better suited to the task required. http://www.ntcmltd.co.uk/pdfs/Taxi%20Ta ... 202012.pdf |
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| Author: | edders23 [ Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:45 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against cou |
But that is the point though for many wheelchairs only a social services minibus with tail lift would be big enough and I can't see non disabled punters wanting to ride in one of those ! |
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| Author: | grandad [ Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:49 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against cou |
edders23 wrote: But that is the point though for many wheelchairs only a social services minibus with tail lift would be big enough and I can't see non disabled punters wanting to ride in one of those ! I have never had any complaints from passengers using mine. |
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| Author: | edders23 [ Mon Jun 25, 2012 6:58 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against cou |
and does yours sit on a rank with everyone walking by it and getting in the saloon cars behind ? Do you never get the comment it's a big car for one person !? |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:55 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against cou |
edders23 wrote: Do you never get the comment it's a big car for one person !? Just shout back 'not you you fat cow'. |
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| Author: | Doom [ Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:03 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against cou |
Sussex wrote: edders23 wrote: Do you never get the comment it's a big car for one person !? Just shout back 'not you you fat cow'. Tsk Tsk Tsk, I dunno, had a weekend up at Skulls have we? 
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| Author: | edders23 [ Mon Jun 25, 2012 1:01 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disabled taxi dispute could see legal action against cou |
Sussex wrote: edders23 wrote: Do you never get the comment it's a big car for one person !? Just shout back 'not you you fat cow'. Do you get any repeat trade talking to your customers like that !! |
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