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Disabled Derby man snubbed by taxi firms while trying to get to mum's funeral

https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/d ... ot-7298777

He was also forced to call 999 to try and get to a hospital appointment


Image: Derby Telegraph

A disabled man from Derby is the latest to criticise the lack of wheelchair-accessible taxis in the city. David Bartle, from Allestree, has told Derbyshire Live that getting to hospital appointments is a battle as several taxi firms insist that no cars are available.

David, who has been a wheelchair user since 2011, has had to cancel holidays because he could not get a taxi. He told Derbyshire Live: “It seems it is an ongoing issue. I lost my mum last July and I couldn’t get a taxi to my mum’s funeral. Each time I ring up for a taxi, I can’t get one.”

David says that he has been told that no taxis are available and that there is a shortage of drivers in the city as either people have left the profession or they have retired. The 57-year-old has another holiday booked in September but he said that even well in advance, taxi companies cannot guarantee that will be able to accommodate his needs.

Last week, David was told that he would need to go to hospital but it took him hours to secure transport. He said: “I went to my GP because of my swollen legs and the doctor said I needed to go in the hospital. She asked how I got to the appointment and I said I drove. She asked how I was going to get to Derby Royal and I stupidly said by taxi.

“Between me and my carer we tried six companies no wheelchair taxi was available. I rang hospital transport they said they could not do it. I rang 999 they said there was no ambulance to pick me up. In desperation, I rang the medical assessment unit at Derby Royal. They said they had arranged transport but could not give me a time.”

David said that one of the taxi companies that could not accommodate his needs were Chads Cars. A spokesperson for Chads Cars said, “As a result of the pandemic, there is a national shortage of taxi drivers, which is making it more difficult for everyone to get a taxi when they want one.

“We appreciate a lack of availability can have a greater impact on a passenger who needs to travel in a wheelchair and we, therefore, encourage all such passengers to contact us one hour before they would like picked up, so that we can better manage the work allocated to wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

“As a result of statutory guidance issued recently by the Department of Transport, all local authorities, including Derby City Council, should be updating the published list of designated wheelchair accessible vehicles to include the contact details of the operator of each vehicle, if they consent to their details being included, so that should make it easier for wheelchair users in Derby to book such vehicles in the near future, as all hackney carriages in the city are wheelchair accessible.

“Chads Cars will be pleased to have its contact details published in relation to all wheelchair-accessible vehicles we operate.”

Wonder why poor old Chad Cars was picked on for a response if numerous firms have been unable to supply a WAV?

Bet Chad Cars not too happy about being singled out, but they've done a reasonable job at comms/PR style deflection. In particular, they seem to be deflecting attention onto the HC trade, and I'm assuming they're mainly a saloon PH operation

Of course, not much good for the likes of Mr Bartle if the WAV HCs are mainly confining themselves to public hire work

I did one or two funerals in my time with wheelchair passengers but these things were always booked by the funeral directors days ahead of the funeral

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