Headline here overeggs things a bit, but of course that's not the official policy - the councillor was just sounding off, effectively.
I'm inclined to agree with him, though
Kind of thought this was going to be about being allowed to run a saloon instead of a WAV - which I think has featured in Aberdeen before - but it's just about a WAV driver providing assistance.
And no mention of the fact that there are still lots of saloons in Aberdeen. I think.
Aberdeen taxi drivers told to ‘look for a different job’ if they are physically unfit to help wheelchair passengershttps://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... heelchair/Aberdeen City Council is now asking taxi drivers to provide proof from a GP or physio after they noticed an increase in applicants trying to bypass the rules.Aberdeen taxi drivers have been told to go “look for a different job” if they are unfit to help wheelchair passengers get in and out of their vehicles.
The local authority requires drivers seeking a taxi licence to operate accessible cars.
As an extension to the rule, they must also be able to assist disabled passengers when they are entering and exiting their cabs.
Taxi drivers can ask for an exemption from giving such support, however, these are only granted if they are “physically unfit” to carry out their duties.
And while previously this has been a rare occurrence, Aberdeen City Council has recently seen a sharp rise in drivers looking to dodge the policy for health reasons.
More taxi drivers trying to bypass wheelchair policyCouncil leaders recently held a special meeting to discuss the issue, and see what they can do to buck the trend.
Licensing solicitor Sandy Munro explained exemptions are granted only if a taxi driver has a medical condition which makes it “impossible or unreasonably difficult” to help.
However, anyone can apply for this and – up until now – drivers were not required to provide any official evidence to support their claims.
Mr Munro also noted that the number of cabbies applying for an exemption for medical reasons has increased in the last year when they used to be “few and far between”.
What new rule faces Aberdeen’s taxi drivers?Members of Aberdeen’s licensing committee have now decided to take firmer action to clamp down on policy dodgers.
From now on, anyone seeking a pass will be asked to provide proof from a medical professional that confirms they are unable to help wheelchair passengers.
This could be from their GP or a physio therapist.
The new guidance will act as a baseline for future applications, ensuring there is consistency when dealing with these types of requests.
It would also ensure that an exemption is granted only if there is a genuine need for it.
Council ‘clamping down on facetious injuries’However, this didn’t seem enough for councillor Ken McLeod who bluntly stated that taxi drivers “should find another job” if they can’t carry out their duties.
He said: “If they’ve got injuries then, frankly, I think they should be looking for a different job.”
Mr McLeod quickly went on to say his comment “was off the record” – but he was reminded that all meetings are recorded and in the public domain.
The Hazlehead, Queen’s Cross and Countesswells member raised the issue last year, saying the council needs to take firmer action and “clamp down on facetious injuries.”
And to further stress his point to his licensing committee colleagues, he referred to the case of one particular driver who had asked for an exclusion a few months ago.
“We had a chap who said ‘I can’t do that’,” he recalled.
“I asked how he would lift a suitcase out of a car and he said, ‘I’ll ask someone next to me or a member of the public to help me’.
“Sorry, that’s no use at all.
“Part of a taxi driver’s job, as well as pushing wheelchairs, is to put luggage into cars.”
You can watch the full meeting
here.
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