Taxi Driver Online

Nothing particularly out of the ordinary here, but only two PHV WAVs out of over 1,100 seems well below the norm

And the age rule incentives to encourage WAVs seem slightly more generous than those in Fife, but still hardly likely to mean owners queuing up to take advantage.

And the small proportion of saloon HCs with grandfather rights being removed is also a tad unusual...


Only two of 1,132 private hire vehicles take wheelchairs

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... eelchairs/

Only two of more than 1,000 private hire vehicles in Calderdale are wheelchair accessible, highlighting concern raised by disabled people over their travel options.

Issues relating to services were raised in two of the questions sessions at a meeting of the full Calderdale Council.

Answers also revealed that 34 of Calderdale’s 43 hackney carriages are wheelchair accessible.

Graham Hale said residents across Calderdale, particularly in the upper Calder Valley, face “significant barriers” in accessing such services.

“Concerns reported by wheelchair users and disability groups include the availability of wheelchair accessible vehicles, overcharging, safety issues and inadequate disability awareness and accessibility training.

“Will the relevant Cabinet member and officers including representatives of the licensing authority commit to hold a public meeting, accessible both in person and online, to engage directly with the disabled community, listen to concerns regarding private hire vehicles and hackney carriage services, and identify actions to improve accessibility and service standards?” he asked.

Responding, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet member for Public Services, Coun Peter Hunt, said the council’s approach to the vehicle licensing provided some incentive to those registering wheelchair accessible vehicles.

This enabled vehicles to be licensed up to 14 years instead of 12 as standard private hire and taxi vehicles.

In addition, to obtain a hackney carriage licence through the authority, except for those previously licensed with “grandfather” rights, vehicles must be wheelchair accessible, he said,

Coun Hunt (Reform UK, Elland) said the policy also offers another incentive by allowing older vehicles to be re-licensed at eight rather than six years.

Officers have attended Calderdale Disability Partnership meetings previously to discuss concerns and would be willing to do so in future, he said.

Coun Margot Puddepha raised related issues later in the evening, in light of Calderdale Council’s website stating that all hackney carriages are accessible to passengers who use wheelchairs.

“Reports from local wheelchair users confirm that not all vehicles are wheelchair accessible,” she said.

Coun Puddepha (Green, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden East) asked Coun Hunt to confirm whether all hackney carriages are wheelchair accessible and how many were actively operating, and what the stats were for private hire vehicles.

Coun Hunt confirmed that of 43 hackney carriages 34 were wheelchair accessible, but of another 15 “executive” vehicles none were.

And of Calderdale’s 1,132 private hire vehicles, only two are wheelchair accessible, he said.

Coun Hunt said that from the end of 2024, in line with updated licensing policy, in order to be licensed as a hackney carriage the vehicle is required to be wheelchair accessible.

The change in the policy also means that the small number of vehicles with “grandfather” rights will now naturally expire with the vehicle – previously a licence was just transferred to the new vehicle.

Licensing of hackney carriages and private hire vehicles is regulated by two Acts of Parliament but as part of widescale reform the current Government has committed to making changes, said Coun Hunt.

These would allow the hackney carriage and private hire sectors to deliver more accessible services by strengthening existing protections and removing barriers to travel.

Coun Hunt said the draft text of the Bill had yet to be published but in June “Raising the standard of licensing of taxis and private hire vehicles” was published, outlining the draft policy proposals setting out the Government’s intent.