Taxi Driver Online

Bid to make taxis operating in Sevenoaks wheelchair friendly


Only four of the 204 hackney carriage taxis operating in Sevenoaks are wheelchair accessible, the council has revealed.

Sevenoaks District Council is looking at different options to increase the number of wheelchair accessible taxis in the district.

With less than two per cent equipped to accommodate wheelchairs, the council wants to consult with disabled people, taxi drivers and the wider public over the best way forward.

The council has made a number of different proposals, including making all new hackney carriage licence holders have wheelchair accessible vehicles from September 2016 or that all new hackney carriage vehicles are made wheelchair accessible from 2018.

In both cases, these requirements would stay in place until 35 per cent of the fleet is accessible.

Southeastern, which operates the taxi rank at Sevenoaks station, has offered to waive its annual fee for a 12-month period for the 20 taxi drivers who already have permits if they upgrade to a wheelchair accessible vehicle.

These changes are being considered as the council updates its taxi licensing policy.

Other options being considered include making all drivers entering the profession from September next year have a wheelchair accessible vehicle – or no change to policy at all.

Councillor Anna Firth, the council's cabinet member for licensing, said: "As a thriving district it is important to have a taxi system that works for everybody. Over the past 10 years there have been major improvements in the accessibility of the transport network for those with disabilities. Over a third of all trains are now accessible, over half the bus fleet and, by law, all of London's licensed taxis must be wheelchair accessible.

"This is an important issue that we must address and rectify. I'm urging as many people as possible to take part in our survey."


Read more: http://www.sevenoakschronicle.co.uk/Bid ... z3psO3xadt

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

BUT is there a demand for it ? I have recently replaced my wav with a standard 8 seater because after i worked it out the extra work from wheelchairs most of which was £3 to £4 fares just wasn't worth it and with the volunteer sector now running two wav's the only day of the year there is abundant work is xmas day ! Our council says they get no complaints about lack of wheelchair access and punters at the rank won't get in one if a saloon or MPV is available so I now run an mpv for town week and an 8 seater and takings are UP and the fuel bill down. Mixed fleets don't work because the drivers of the WAV are at a serious disadvantage. I feel sorry for any driver forced to buy a WAV and try and compete with the saloons

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

We currently have 2 WAVs in the town but one of them will not be able to be used as a WAV from later any time soon. That will leave just 1 WAV which is a "T" reg Metrocab that has seen better days and the owner driver of this vehicle doesn't take wheelchair jobs unless he is on the rank when he has to. The only complaint I am aware of from a wheelchair user is that his wheelchair is too big to fit into a Metrocab or TX type vehicle. The one that is not going to be allowed to carry wheelchairs soon is an E7 and this wheelchair would not fit in there either.

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Grandad,

it's surprising how big some wheelchairs are ! .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. and heavy !!!!!

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