Taxi Driver Online

http://www.timeforchoice.co.uk/

Thousands of Wheelchair Users Affected by Taxi Discrimination
24/01/2012

Figures provided by the Departments for Transport and Work & Pensions show that as many as quarter of a million wheelchair users are open to adverse treatment as a result of restrictive taxi licensing restrictions.

Just eleven of the UK’s 375 licensing authorities still cling to the antiquated ‘turning circle’ rule, which rules most modern vehicles out of being used as hackney cabs in these towns and cities. Tragically for disabled people, this means that thousands of wheelchair users face using taxi fleets dominated by vehicles ill-suited to accommodating them safely.

‘Turning circle’ fleets may or may not cause traffic chaos by swinging a ‘U-ee’ at short notice but they certainly do not provide flat floor space for turning a wheelchair. The problem is that ‘London-style’, which make up more than 90% of these fleets, are in theory capable of accepting a wheelchair occupant.

In practice, however, the lack of flat-floor space in such taxis makes manoeuvring a wheelchair into the correct position for travel exceedingly difficult or, in many cases, impossible. Think disabled bedroom or disabled toilet and you’ll soon recognise the fundamental design requirements for turning wheeled devices.

Lacking this vital room to manoeuvre, wheelchair users are typically left to travel facing sideways in the cab, with their seat completely unsecured to the vehicle.

National Health Service figures show that there are an estimated 1.2 million wheelchair users in the UK. Across the eleven remaining ‘turning circle’ authorities this equates to 256,000 wheelchair users. Further research carried out for the Department for Transport evidences that the size and complexity of wheelchairs is growing.

In our turning circle areas, this leaves upwards of 188,000 users of moderate length wheelchairs with little practical prospect of being safely positioned and secured in local taxis. Of these, 39,000 people with larger wheelchairs have no chance whatsoever of being positioned correctly for a safe journey.

Frustratingly, all of the local authorities concerned could help resolve this alarming safety issue overnight, simply be amending their taxi licensing conditions to permit more modern, more accessible vehicles.

Just like the other 364 licensing authorities do already.

96% of wheelchair users in London style cabs travel sideways and unsecured.

are you selling cab direct vehicles skippy?

seems to me you want others to have a limited freedom of choice - whilst you (and me) drive around merrily in our Skodas.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

There are now several WCA vehicles on the market CC from side to rear loading as well you know.
In Scotland we dont have the same problem due to having mixed fleets in 85% of areas, and the fact the turning circle has been abolished.
I wonder if Bryan with a Y will take this up

Nice to see some actual WC user figures for once

Skippy in rural areas it is simply NOT cost effective to operate such vehicles as the level of extra trade available doesn't cover the extra cost of the vehicle do YOU drive a Wav ? Besides which the majority of wheelchair users would rather sit in a saloon car with the chair folded up in the boot !

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

96% of wheelchair users in London style cabs travel sideways and unsecured

96% of them could transfer to a saloon front seat and fold the chair away in the boot

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

We have always called vehicles for wheelchairs WAV - that is Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles. Are you proposing a change to WCA as an acronym? If so what does it stand for? Wheelchairs Can Access perhaps or maybe We Can Assist (with loading and safely securing wheelchair passengers), could it be Wheel Chair Amenable. Could I trouble you to clarify - though I for one will still run and use the acronym WAV.

Lastly, I would guess that you too are a WC user - unless you have changed the universally accepted acronym for that convenience as well - or use a hole in the ground!

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

and most of them have a Mobility car and carer...........

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

You can't possibly know that, but, it would be interesting to find out how many could and would prefer to do so. I find it quite irritating that these groups do research but never ask this all important question.

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

WCAV, Wheelchair accessible vehicle, takes in all vehicles that a wheelchair (WC) can fit into, with the passenger sitting in the WC

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Has anyone seen a WAV hack on a rank pickup a non-foldable wheelchair job that wouldnt have gone in a saloon or non-WAV...


i.e. one of these



not one of these...

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

I see if you click the link its a campaign for a certain taxi company Allied.Are you on commision with these or something,why the problem when you dont even drive one ? I seriously doubt the figure of 96% aswell who made that up.One last thing they have the merc vito in london does that not have the floor space of their vehicle ?

Plenty of times

course you have....PMSL, Blackpool uses em for drunks


the majority of WAV hacks see about 5% WAV jobs, some return on the investment

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Why do I hear Monty Python's "Spam song" in my head?

Spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam spam......

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Former taxi driver