Taxi Driver Online

Not the first article of its type from Hull, and not sure they have a fleet of all-WAV HCs there either.

But maybe that's one of the problems not stated here - by 'taxis' I think they mean private hire firms, and to that extent obviously few WAVs working nights or at any time, or at least that's what we're told.

Of course, easy to be sympathetic to cases like this, but if the issue is as acute and self-evident as we're told here, it doesn't seem a good move to wait until 9pm to book a WAV, particularly at this time of year and in this weather, and on a Tuesday night

Brief video interview with this lady on the website and, unlike the article below, at least the journo manages to mention both taxis and private hire

And better than asking a 10-car firm for comment


'I'm disabled and had to leave party early to avoid being stranded - as no Hull taxi could take me home'

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hu ... ly-7932970

Woman had to get bus home at night in the cold after celebrating sister's birthday


Image: Richard Addison/Hull Daily Mail

A disabled woman from Hull said she had to leave her sister’s birthday night out early as no taxis were available that had wheelchair access.

Victoria Sutton, 32, who lives in west Hull, went to the Whistling Goose pub, Amsterdam Road, to enjoy her sister’s birthday night out on Tuesday, December 13. But the fun did not last as she found herself panicking about how she would get home by 10pm for her carer to put her to bed.

Victoria cannot walk and she lives in assisted living accommodation. Her sister rang five taxi companies at around 9pm, who all told her they did not run taxis at that time of the day with wheelchair access.

As she could not get a taxi home, she had to leave earlier than she wanted to in order to catch the bus in the cold weather. Victoria said: “I could have easily stayed out a lot longer if I had the choice, but we were panicking about buses and trying to get a taxi and at whatever time it was that we rang, they pretty much stopped it for disabled people.

"I think if people who can walk are able to get a taxi for whenever they need to, even during the night until the early hours of the morning, but they stop for disabled people at a certain time of the night. That's not very fair."

One taxi firm that spoke to Hull Live said capacity was an issue. It meant disabled people could easily end up being “stranded”, added Victoria.

Her sister said: “She was quite gutted. She would have stayed out later if it wasn't for the taxi issue but she had to get a bus earlier than she wanted to just so she could get back for her care call.

“She was really enjoying herself and she doesn't get out a lot any more, so it was really nice for her to get out and enjoy herself. It was just sad she had to go home.

“There are people out there that might actually want to go out and enjoy themselves and there should be taxis available for that. Not loads but one or two would be nice so there is always one available.

“It's kind of disrespectful for people in wheelchairs because they're (taxi companies) not thinking about them at all. I'd never heard anything so ridiculous when they said to me, sorry we don't run them ones at night time. It’s very unfair.”

It is rare that Victoria, who also has learning disabilities, goes out with her sister as they live at opposite ends of the city. The recent snowy weather has made it particularly difficult, as it is hard to push a wheelchair around in the snow.

On her birthday, Victoria's sister put out a post in a Hull Facebook group to ask people if they had any numbers for taxi companies that had disabled access for that night. Others in the comments shared their struggles of getting a taxi that is suitable for disabled people.

One woman said: “There isn’t no wheelchair accessible taxis on a night. I had this problem myself with my son to get him home from hospital. In the end they had to get transport for him as was trying for about three hours and it was a no go. They said they don’t have them on.

“On a night I think it’s disgusting. Also they should have them on a night for people who need them for emergencies.”

Another added: “I would love to go out to the theatre or cinema but don’t feel safe on a bus on a night or having to go through town centre in my wheelchair. I couldn’t even get a taxi to my hospital for an endoscopy because no taxis and couldn’t use bus.”

One taxi firm that spoke to Hull Live said capacity was an issue. A spokesperson for Cab Plus said: "We are so busy we can't provide taxis if they are already booked. If we are fully booked we can't take any more bookings.

"Most of our drivers finish by 4,5,6pm because we start at 8 in the morning. We are not a big company. We've got about 10 cars.

"If we can provide a taxi at night time we will. For us, we just do daytime and where we can do the night time, we do."

Usual polarisation of comments on the website, and surprised at how many comments there are about the disabled card being played, and similar

Then there's those who think WAVs should be available, like, er, on demand and at any time, effectively. One contributor has left a long spiel about how she couldn't get out of the house because she uses an electric wheelchair. Problem is, her cat's seriously ill and she needs to take it to the vet

Then one playing the Uber card, and saying it's a 'progressive' firm, and Hull's not a progressive city.

Er, Uber 'progressive'? In what way? I mean, it can't be because of WAV provision, surely?

the likelihood of there being enough non wav work late at night is remote. Even the heavily council subsidised call connect buses don't run at the time of day !

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

Got to have sympathy for the lady as all she wants to do is go out and have a good time. Really not that much to ask.

IMO the fault lies fairly and squarely with the council. They could adopt policies that would have increased the number of WAVs in their area. But I suspect they have been guilty of 'regulatory capture' by the local trade.

If the council really wanted to deal with this issue that would make all operators that have more than, say, 50 cars on their books, to have 20% of those able to take customers sitting in their wheelchairs.

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IDFIMH