Taxi Driver Online

Several thousand journeys hit by Dial a Ride charges


MORE than seven thousand journeys by elderly people each year in Winsford will be affected by Cheshire West and Chester Council’s (CWAC) decision to start charging for a free mini bus service.

Cheshire Community Development Trust figures show 7,304 trips were made on Dial a Ride last year in the town, and 10,850 in Northwich.

New £3 each way charges for the door to door transport service start on April 1.

The charges follow reduced bus routes throughout Winsford and impending CWAC Hackney Carriage laws expecting cabbies to spend £26,500 on a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV).

Age UK and Winsford Taxi Drivers’ Association are calling on CWAC to complete impact assessments on taxi and Dial a Ride changes in light of reduced bus provision.

Dave Edwards from the Winsford Taxi Drivers’ Association (WTDA) said: “It’s absolutely crazy. The council provide a bus pass for pensioners that can’t use busses because the busses don’t exist anymore, and they’re stopping taxi drivers earning a living.

“It’s the withdrawal of services for those members of the community that need it the most.

“This is a council that isn’t listening and that chooses not to find the evidence before taking away services for the vulnerable.

“It’s 1960s paternalistic politics that doesn’t recognise the dignity of disabled people.”

Ken Clemens, CEO of Age UK added: “The changes proposed to the Dial a Ride regulations will not help to address the level of isolation and loneliness experienced by far too many of our older population, especially those whose restricted mobility makes it hard to get about and socialise.

“The impact of the changes to Dial a Ride may well end up costing the local tax payer far more, as people will become isolated, less socially connected, and this in tune will lead to the requirement of more frequent and more expensive interventions, that could lead to even more pressure on our hard pressed acute services.”

CWAC says Dial a Ride changes will save tax payers £165,000 each year and that they corresponded widely before announcing that all newly registered Hackney Carriages throughout Vale Royal will be WAVs by April 2013.

source; http://www.winsfordguardian.co.uk/news/ ... es/?ref=nt

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

Poke the dial a bus.

Get a taxi/PH.

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IDFIMH

No doubt they'll subsidise that with a bid for a few school runs.

Cannot understand Cheshire wanting an all wav fleet with the LC report coming soon allegedly.
What happens if the LC decide that 70% must be saloons

I don't think it is the LC remit to decide what % should be WAVs

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

correct - that's still going to be down to LA's

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

To a degree, but not IMO anywhere near the powers they have at present.

Post New Act councils will be able to have a 100% WAV hackney fleet, or a 0% WAV hackney fleet.

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IDFIMH