Taxi Driver Online

Call for greater wheelchair taxi access



AN Ammanford man with muscular dystrophy is calling on taxi firms to provide better facilities for people in wheelchairs.

Anthony Evans from Heol Llwchwr said he struggles to find a local firm to ferry him around should he need a taxi.

“If I want to go on a night out most taxi firms ask for at least six days notice,” said Anthony.

“I am lucky enough to be able to drive my own specially adapted vehicle, but should I want to go out for a drink or two it seems to be a struggle to be able to find a taxi to pick me up.”

The 47-year-old said he booked a taxi with a local firm just before Christmas, and explained his circumstances, however when the taxi arrived the firm had sent a normal taxi instead of a disabled one.

“It would be nice to be able to be able to go out for a meal or to the pub and be able to just call for a taxi when I need it,” he said.

“I’m happy to pre-book, but the last time I did that the firm still didn’t send the correct vehicle – I’m getting really fed up with it.”

One taxi firm with a specially-adapted minibus to cater for disabled people said they were always happy to accommodate anyone requiring a taxi.

“The bus is mainly used by the social services and we don’t often get a call for it in the private sector, but that is not to say we will not accommodate them,” said Tracey David of Tirydail Taxis.

“If someone wants a bus we welcome it. We are able to accommodate 99 per cent of our customers.”

However, Tracey pointed out that the drivers of the disabled mini bus must be qualified and trained to strap the chairs down in the vehicle.

“These drivers may not always be readily available,” she said.

source: http://www.southwalesguardian.co.uk/news/11714620._/

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

If they subsidised me to the tune of £15,000 I'd buy one.

If their minibus is over 8 seats it would need a psv driver with dcpc and using a tacho hence the difficulty in finding driver with enough hours left.

The one we had was massive but was only an 8 passenger vehicle. In the 3 years we had it we probably only had 4 different customers use the wheelchair facility. The rest of the time it was just used as an 8 seat vehicle for school runs and nights out.

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Grandad,

Unfortunately for wheelchair users there just isn't the demand to justify the expense in some areas, there's barely the demand in the large cities let alone anywhere else

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

That's true equality at work. just like the abled do the disabled need to accept that at times there is just not enough suitable taxis available, wav or otherwise.