Taxi Driver Online

Anger over axing of Dundee taxi discount for disabled people

A Dundee dad has hit out at the council’s decision to stop funding discounted taxi travel for disabled people.

Norman Ewan, 73, has a son with physical and mental health conditions who regularly uses the Taxicard Scheme to get to appointments.

The service, which allows discounted 24-hour access to taxis, will be discontinued from the end of March.

The local authority plans to invest £50,000 of the savings made into a new members-only minibus scheme, which will transport people to shops, GP services and other locations.

Mr Ewan claimed there had been little communication about the new plans and that minibus travel would not suit everybody.

He said: “My 40-year-old son and his wife are disabled and we’ve been using the taxi service to get to appointments at Ninewells Hospital for the past two years.

“My son has physical and mental health conditions and needs to get to appointments with his psychiatrist or to Ninewells Hospital. We rely on the taxis to do this and we get a discount.

“When I called up this week I was told we would no longer be getting this from March 31.

“It’s a bit of a slap in the face for disabled people by the SNP. We’ve not been given much information on this or on the other transport options.”

The new minibus service, which will be collectively known as the Blether Buses, will be trialled from early March.

Council leader John Alexander pointed out that the budget proposals from all political parties at Dundee City Council — not just the SNP — featured the same cost-cutting measure.

He added: “When the Taxicard Scheme first launched by Tayside Regional Council in 1992, service buses were much less accessible than they are in 2018.

“The scheme was developed to help people who found it almost impossible to use local bus services.

“Now all buses on registered services are designed to be low floor and wheelchair friendly with many other accessible features.

“But the council also recognises that the general availability of bus services has also been a cause for concern in some communities.

“As a response the council is developing a new members’ only minibus service that will be launched this month.

“That will see council minibuses and drivers being deployed to new routes in parts of town that have been most affected by the loss of regular bus services.

“These will be minibuses with an emphasis on social interaction at a local level — connecting people with their neighbours, as well as the shops, GP surgeries and other core bus services.

“We have an under-utilised fleet of vehicles and we know there are needs in every ward of the city.

“So, we have agreed to explore those needs and try to identify ways of deploying our own fleet to Dundonians benefit which at the same time, ensures value for money for taxpayers.”

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IDFIMH

Inevitably some in the taxi trade are angry at the change as well:

Taxi drivers ‘furious’ at Dundee council for axing discounted disabled travel

https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/t ... ed-travel/

A taxi boss has said that cab drivers are “furious” at a decision by Dundee City Council to stop funding discounted travel for disabled people.

Chris Elder, taxi driver representative for Unite, said the decision had been taken without any consultation with drivers.

He said drivers were demanding a meeting with council representatives in a bid to have the decision reversed.

The Taxicard scheme — which allows discounted 24-hour access to taxis — will stop at the end of this month.

Instead, the council plans to invest £50,000 of the savings made from the decision into a new members-only minibus scheme, which will transport people to the shops, GP surgeries and other locations.

Mr Elder said that in recent months, taxi drivers throughout the city had invested a lot of time and money in learning how best to help disabled passengers.

He added: “This decision has angered taxi drivers in Dundee — the council didn’t even have the decency to involve us in talks.

“Many taxi drivers have invested up to £30,000 on wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

“That is a huge investment for sole operators and this new plan means that their wheelchair-accessible taxis will likely now not be used by wheelchair users.

“Taxi drivers were also expected by the council to go on training courses to learn how to properly assist disabled passengers.

“That involved time and money and now taxi drivers risk that investment being wasted.”

Council leader John Alexander said when the Taxicard scheme was first launched by Tayside Regional Council in 1992, service buses were much less accessible than they are now.

He said: “The council also recognises that the general availability of bus services has also been a cause for concern in some communities.

“As a response, the council is developing a new members-only minibus service, which will launch this month.

“That will see council minibuses and drivers being deployed to new routes in parts of town that have been most affected by the loss of regular bus services.

“We have agreed to explore those needs and try to identify ways of deploying our own fleet to the benefit of Dundonians which at the same time ensures value for money for taxpayers.”

Also this about a 'private hire' firm taking over the taxicard scheme. Don't think it's a private hire firm in the sense it's normally used on here - looks more like one of those community transport outfits, which will obviously please the taxi drivers no end.

The firm's plans to take over the scheme also sound a bit, er, uncertain. Suspect it's a last-minute cost cutting exercise by the council that hasn't been properly thought through yet.

Dundee private hire firm to take on Taxicard scheme for disabled people

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/lo ... ed-people/

A Dundee private hire company has come to the rescue after Dundee City Council announced plans to axe taxi discounts for disabled people.

Scottish Blue Ltd has announced that they will take over the Taxicard Scheme, which entitles service users to money off taxi journeys.



They will give Taxicard scheme holders £1 off journeys on Scot Blue minibuses, which cost £5 and mainly take passengers to hospital appointments.

The council has pledged to reinvest £50,000 of the savings that they’ll make from cutting the discount into alternative provision with their own fleet of vehicles.

George Scullion, managing director of Scottish Blue, said: “We have spoken to the council about taking over the Taxicard Scheme.

“We have a scheme called Easy-On, which transports people to hospital appointments and has been taken up by a variety of people and community groups.

“Everyone that has an existing card will be given a £1 discount.

“We had been looking at doing this for a while, while waiting for confirmation from the council about their plans.

“We knew that they were having problems with funds to run it.

“Our service runs from Monday to Friday, between 9.30am and 8pm and we can take up to eight people on board.

“I don’t know how that will all tie in with the council’s plans with their own minibuses, but hopefully the two schemes can work together.”

Dundee City Council leader John Alexander previously explained that changing the transport options would “provide a better all round service”.

The council will stop funding the Taxicard Scheme from March 31.

Councillor Alexander added: “The taxicard scheme provided a discount to users of £2 per taxi journey.

“However, the reality is that over time the value of this discount has become less as taxi charges have increased.

“Importantly, the proposal agreed by committee was to reinvest £50k saved from ceasing Taxicard to deliver new transport services via the council’s minibus fleet.

“We want to provide a better all round service that delivers new transport options for the public — whether that’s looking at models of demand-led transport or transport related to medical appointments.

“We are now in an improved position to operate a not for profit bus service by using out in-house fleet and spending taxpayers money more wisely.”

they did that round here years ago and then bought a fleet of purple buses which are subsidised by rate payers because councillors objected to people spending the vouchers they issued on taxis instead of buses

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Taxis Are Public Transport too

Join the campaign to get April fools jokes banned for 364 days a year !

"Disabled people angry that benefit money given to them to assist with transport needs will now have to be spent on transport"

Is that a better headline ?

Does this private hire operator fall foul of the Regulations on the number of what looks like over 8 seats vehicles in the photograph they can operate and are they PCV.

More trade reps complaining about the withdrawal of the scheme. Not much to add to previous pieces, just different reps joining in with the chorus of complaints.

Scrapping of Taxicard scheme for disabled branded “an insult to taxi drivers”

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/lo ... i-drivers/

Dundee cabbies have branded the council’s plans to replace discounts for disabled people with a minibus service an “insult to taxi drivers”.

Graeme Stephen, the city’s Taxi Association chairman, said the new scheme would take work away from drivers who will, in turn, take business away from colleagues as competition for fares increases.

Taxi driver Erik Thoresen has written to council leader John Alexander to clarify how the minibus service would be funded and how much it would cost.

A report on the local authority’s revenue budget estimated scrapping the Taxicard scheme, which entitled users to £2 off journeys, would save £150,000 per year, of which £50,000 is pledged to be reinvested into the minibus initiative.

Mr Thoresen said: “Wheelchair accessible vehicle operators were to be given funding for putting on these vehicles.

“It was then withdrawn and the money was to go into the Taxicard scheme.

“Now they are stopping this. Their taxi policy has been nonsense for many years as the whole trade knows this.

“This scheme will take away a source of income which is badly needed by taxi drivers in this city.

“This, overall, is seen as an insult to taxi drivers who have been doing a great service to the community and Taxicard holders and their families.”

Mr Stephen added: “The Taxicard scheme guaranteed a fair bit of work for taxi drivers around Dundee.

“That work will now no longer be there and it will be the equivalent of there being too many taxi vehicles in the city.

“The drivers who no longer have the Taxicard passengers will be competing with other drivers for work.

“Minibus travel won’t suit everyone and what will happen is they’ll call an ambulance if they need to get to a hospital appointment.”

Mr Alexander could not be reached by the time of going to press, but he had previously said the minibus initiative, which would use the council’s own fleet of vehicles, would “provide a better all-round service”.

He had added that the service would be not-for-profit and would mean taxpayers’ money is spent “more wisely”.

The council will stop funding the Taxicard Scheme from March 31.

Maybe someone should make the council aware of the need for ANY minibus with over 8 passenger seats to be licenced as a psv, be psv licenced, and the driver must hold a psv licence. No if's but's or anything, that is The Law!

See the section 19 minibus threads I've posted on here. Make them aware of the consultation, the new DafT "guidelines, the works. Unless they are PSVs, they will be operating illegally.

In our area we have a firm called ctla and they say they are a charity and exempt
they even run a service which picks you up and takes you to the doctors and back by car for next to nothing
I bet the directors don't work for nothing

They're still running them round here despite the new laws.

There's an element of repetition in all of this, but interesting how the issue is obviously generating quite a bit of coverage in the local press. Three pieces in last few days alone. Interesting too how everyone seems to have been in the dark about it all, yet the Scottish Blue minibus service just happened to be waiting in the wings ready to pick up the pieces

Pensioner fears she will be prisoner in her home after Dundee Taxicard scheme axed


https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/p ... heme-axed/

A disabled pensioner said she is “outraged” she and hundreds of other vulnerable people will be badly affected by the removal of the city’s Taxicard scheme.

Myrtle Chisholm, 72, said she will be hundreds of pounds worse off as a result of the scheme being withdrawn by Dundee City Council.

Mrs Chisholm, from Charleston, also said the removal of the scheme will mean she and many others could end up virtual prisoners in their own homes because it would be too expensive to travel if they have to rely on taxis.

The service, which allows discounted 24-hour access to taxis, will stop from the end of this month.

The council plans to invest £50,000 of the savings made into a new members-only minibus scheme, which will transport people to shops, GP services and other locations.

However, Mrs Chisholm, who suffers from a range of medical conditions including heart disease, Parkinson’s and a muscle condition that makes walking very difficult, said the minibus is no use to her.

The pensioner, who requires walking aids to get around added: “There’s no way I can get on the minibus with my conditions. I have also tried using the service bus but that doesn’t really work for me either.

“For me the discounted Taxicard scheme is a lifeline.

“I use taxis to go to the doctor and to do my weekly shopping. You get two discounted journeys a week which adds up to £208 a year.”

Lochee councillor Michael Marra said: “Local people are being left in the lurch by the decision to stop the Taxicard.

“I have been contacted by a number of people in the Lochee ward who are unable to use the very limited replacement service due to mobility issues.

“The Taxicard was a help to those on fixed incomes.”

The council’s depute convener of city development Mark Flynn said: “Ending the Taxicard scheme will only remove the £2 discount and accessible taxis will still be available.

“The new Blether Bus introduces two council minibuses that will deliver a hail and ride service which means as well as being able get on and off at any of the bus stops along the route, the driver will pick up and drop off from streets where there are no bus stops."

New ‘Blether Bus’ to focus on connecting Dundee’s elderly and infirm

https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/n ... nd-infirm/



New bus services that will focus on connecting older and disabled people in Dryburgh/Lochee and Clepington/Stobswell are set to launch next week.

The Blether Bus, which starts on Monday, is part of a package of measures council chiefs say will improve choice for travellers in the city.

Mark Flynn, depute convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee, said: “From next week people who use buses and taxis in Dundee are going to see a few changes that open up choice, create some new ways of getting around and bring some new service providers into play.

“In particular, moves towards the development of ‘Easy-On’ and the development of new services using the council’s in-house fleet, as well as changes to bus routes and the withdrawal of the Taxicard scheme will create different ways of getting around the city.

“Ending the Taxicard scheme will only remove the £2 discount and accessible taxis will still be available.

“The Blether Bus introduces two council minibuses that will deliver a hail and ride service which means that as well as being able get on and off at any of the bus stops along the route, the driver will also pick up and drop off from streets where there are no bus stops. It has a friendly and welcoming team of drivers who are happy to chat with and encourage passengers to have a blether.”

Anyone who wants to use the bus must become a member which can be done on the first day of travel. There is no joining fee and no need for ID and once given a membership card, passengers need to show that along with their bus pass to the driver each time they use the service.

A further development is an ‘Easy-On service provided by Scottish Blue.

Carer says folk ‘don’t know how is going to work’ after Dundee Taxicard scheme axed

https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/c ... heme-axed/

A Dundee carer has criticised the roll-out of the council’s new members-only bus service after an end to discounted taxi fares for the disabled.

Community campaigner John Bisset said he has been bombarded with concerns from worried carers and disabled users of the taxicard scheme, which is set to end on Saturday.

The council estimates that about £150,000 per year will be saved by scrapping the scheme, which entitled users to £2 off taxi journeys.

The local authority has pledged that £50,000 of this will be reinvested in the initiative — the first part of which, Blether Buses, was launched this week. It introduces two council minibuses that will deliver a hail and ride service in Dryburgh/Lochee and Clepington/Stobswell.

John said: “I know of so many people who are going to be affected by this and they don’t know how it is going to work.”

The Blether Bus service is part of a package of measures that council chiefs say will improve choice for travellers.

An easy-on service provided by Scottish Blue is also being launched using its wheelchair accessible minibuses. For £5, it offers a door-to-door service to anywhere in Dundee, collecting passengers from their home and taking them to a destination of their choosing.

John, however, fears the new services may not be suitable. He said: “In this new easy-on scheme, each journey might take hours as they have to drop off different people. How will so many people be assisted by one driver?”

A council spokesman said: “As well as improvements in bus service accessibility, the launch of easy-on and the development of new services using the council’s in-house fleet it is important to recognise that taxis will still be available.

“The ending of the taxicard scheme will not directly affect the availability of taxis. It does, however, remove the existing £2 discount.

One Vehicle can't be everywhere..but then again why should some sections of the disabled community automatically expect discounts from Taxi Companies trying to make an honest living, surely If their disabilities are as severe they would have people believe then they would already get the High rate mobility at £59.75 per week or the Low rate mobility: £22.65 per week on top of their DLA or PIPs payments, and that is exactly why many disabled get Mobility payments, it's to help fund whatever means of transport they so chose.