Taxi Driver Online

Where are the wheelchair taxis?



Test Valley Borough Councillors are to debate the shortage of wheelchair accessible taxis in Romsey.

At present, the authority licenses 36 taxis, of which two operate in the Romsey area; none of these are wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

Last year, the licensing committee agreed to offer extra licences to operators of wheelchair accessible vehicles in the Romsey area.

Expressions of interest were invited, but only six responses were received and only one of those from the Romsey area.

A council spokesman said: “The council is keen to increase the number of wheelchair accessible hackney carriages licensed in Test Valley and is exploring options to help achieve this. Licensing committee members will consider the report at the meeting on Thursday (January 17).

“The council was disappointed with the low response rate and will consider the options set out in the paper to help increase the number of wheelchair-accessible hackney carriages.”

Currently, the council restricts the number of hackney carriage licences it issues and one of the options before the committee is to abandon the restriction in the hope that will result in more taxis for Romsey, some of which will be wheelchair-friendly.

John Hutson, of the Romsey Disability Forum, said while he had his own transport and he knew that others in the group had theirs, he had concerns for anyone who was disabled who didn’t have a wheelchair-accessible car.

“I would hate to be in Romsey and having to hail a cab if I was disabled. I’m lucky that I have got my own car and drive myself.

“I don’t know what anyone would do if they were in the middle of Romsey or Southampton needing a taxi that can take a wheelchair.

“It has to be big enough for someone to slide in and then the wheelchair can go in the boot,” he said.

http://www.romseyadvertiser.co.uk/news/ ... ir_taxis_/

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

Maybe the council should consider the cost of buying the things - maybe drivers aren't buying them because they think they wont get enough wheelchair fares to pay for the things?

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

And maybe the taxi trade ( hmmmmmm) know that any new act coming out of the LC will only allow a council to have one tier of taxis.

So all saloon, or all WAV. None of this you must pay £30,000 whilst others can pay less than half that.

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IDFIMH

If theres no WAV's its MAYBE because theres no call for one?...

or maybe the local council-supported CT runs some......

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Doesn't describe any WAV I've ever seen Even the wheelchair bound are asking for saloons, albeit large ones

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

ONCE AGAIN.....the only disability they ever heard of is being wheelchair bound?

(and a lot in wheelchairs have Mobility WAV's for free...)

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

supply and demand - capitalist theory where there is a demand a service will follow?

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

Tell that to 50 WAV hacks on a rank (where, by the way. they are LEAST likely to pick up a wheelchair job)

the stupid bit is where two LA's adjoin, 1 is 100% HC WAV's and 1 is not.....same area......hows that work?

we have ONE that is 100% HC WAV, all surrounding areas are not

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

I didn't invent capitalism.

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