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Cerebral palsy sufferer complains Welwyn WAVs inaccessible
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Author:  StuartW [ Tue Mar 07, 2023 4:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Cerebral palsy sufferer complains Welwyn WAVs inaccessible
Suspect the issue here is that the driver didn't have the ramps. Or maybe just a pretence to broom a short run, or whatever :?


Council considers taxi accessibility investigation after complaint

https://www.whtimes.co.uk/news/23366928 ... complaint/

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council has said it may make further investigations into the accessibility of the taxis it licences, following a complaint.

Ben Gillum, a Welwyn Garden City resident, lodged a complaint with the council about the taxi services "not being made accessible for all types of disabilities".

69-year-old Ben has cerebral palsy, which means he struggles to use all taxis due to them being too high for him to get into.

Ben said: “WHBC have introduced a policy whereby every Hackney carriage taxi on the rank must be wheelchair friendly.

“I recently tried to use such a vehicle and found that it was unsatisfactory in that there were steps, and no ramp was available.

"I couldn't manage the steps and so my planned journey couldn't be completed, much to my disappointment."

After speaking with the deputy leader of Hackney carriages in Welwyn Garden City, Ben was told he would have to use a private car taxi.

Ben added: "What I would like to see is a policy to cater not only for wheelchair users, but also for people like me who's legs are stiff and who can't use the system as it currently stands.

“This policy needs to be reviewed; indeed, Age UK have said as much.

“As a disabled person, I find this policy somewhat counter intuitive in that it is aimed at helping disabled people but appears to be excluding a large section of them.”

A Welwyn Hatfield Borough council spokesperson said: “We are sorry to hear of this resident’s difficulty recently with a Welwyn Hatfield licenced taxi.

“The Wheelchair Accessible Policy (WAV) was introduced by the council in March 2020 (in line with the Equality Act 2010). As such, our licenced Hackney Carriage vehicles must become wheelchair accessible at the end of their working life. There are eight of these already in operation in the borough.

“The wheelchair accessible Hackney Carriages are fitted with ramps that should always be available for all disabled customers, not just wheelchair users.

"These lower, to allow level access into the vehicle. This was something we discussed previously with the customer, but we would be happy to investigate further if it is felt necessary.”
Author:  StuartW [ Tue Mar 07, 2023 4:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cerebral palsy sufferer complains Welwyn WAVs inaccessib
Quote:
After speaking with the deputy leader of Hackney carriages in Welwyn Garden City, Ben was told he would have to use a private car taxi.

:lol:

Quote:
Ben added: "What I would like to see is a policy to cater not only for wheelchair users, but also for people like me who's legs are stiff and who can't use the system as it currently stands.

*Whose* [-(

*Who's* proof-reading these things? :lol:

A Welwyn Hatfield Borough council spokesperson wrote:
As such, our licenced Hackney Carriage vehicles must become wheelchair accessible at the end of their working life.

Might be better if they applied the policy to the replacement vehicle :lol:

(For any journalists reading, who's is short for 'who is' or 'who has' :lol: )
Author:  Chris the Fish [ Tue Mar 07, 2023 8:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cerebral palsy sufferer complains Welwyn WAVs inaccessib
StuartW wrote:
*Whose* [-(

*Who's* proof-reading these things? :lol:

(For any journalists reading, who's is short for 'who is' or 'who has' :lol: )


Well you are StuartW.
Author:  Sussex [ Tue Mar 07, 2023 9:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cerebral palsy sufferer complains Welwyn WAVs inaccessib
I get the idea that a mixed fleet of hackneys makes sense, but who decides who has to pay £50-70,000 for a new motor and who has to pay £20,000?

If the council didn't adopt the 100% WAV policy then the press would be full of folks bemoaning the lack of WAVs.

But the answer in this case, as expressed by the hackney rep, was to book a saloon PH.

Or in their local language a private taxi. :D
Author:  StuartW [ Wed Mar 08, 2023 3:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cerebral palsy sufferer complains Welwyn WAVs inaccessib
Sussex wrote:
But the answer in this case, as expressed by the hackney rep, was to book a saloon PH.

I wondered if the deputy leader of Hackney carriages in Welwyn Garden City might have been something else - deputy leader of the council immediately springs to mind, but it certainly sounds more like a political title (deputy leader of the Labour Party, say) than a senior member of a trade association.

But you're probably right and it's the second-in-command at the local HCA who's being quoted. But I'd bet he's assistant secretary, or similar, and his official title isn't 'deputy leader' [-(

(Mind you, I've seen local associations using the likes of vice-president, so maybe the press thought a title like that sounded a bit highfalutin, so downplayed it to deputy leader :lol: )

Sussex wrote:
Or in their local language a private taxi. :D

'Private car taxi', to be precise :lol:

And, reading the article earlier, I was also thinking about a mixed saloon/WAV fleet. But reading the council's statement at the end, it looks like the issue here was that the WAV driver didn't have ramps available when he should have [-X
Author:  edders23 [ Wed Mar 08, 2023 8:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cerebral palsy sufferer complains Welwyn WAVs inaccessib
If the ramps were the twin type similar to the ones I used to have they wouldn't have been suitable anyway as they would be too narrow and his feet would catch on the side rail and probably cause the ramps to fall. The only type of ramp suitable would be the single wide type . I used to carry a small wooden step to help people get in until the manager of a local old peoples complex reported me to the health and safety :evil:
Author:  bloodnock [ Wed Mar 08, 2023 10:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cerebral palsy sufferer complains Welwyn WAVs inaccessib
The perfect one size fits all vehicle does not exist nor will it ever do....disability and disability requirements are almost infinite so forcing a requirement to use one vehicle spec on the trade would never work.
Author:  StuartW [ Wed Mar 08, 2023 12:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cerebral palsy sufferer complains Welwyn WAVs inaccessib
Indeed, Edders - the kind of ramps fitted may have been inadequate for the passenger's particular needs. Of course, that's the kind of thing that drivers won't be aware of until it actually happens. As for officials and councillors...

And, as Bloodnock says, there's no single vehicle that will be optimal for everyone. And certainly not for the drivers either...
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