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"Taxi" firms under fire for disabled charge
Mark Womersley, who is a wheelchair user and is frustrated by the extra cost he has to pay to use a private hire cab.
Private hire taxi firms in the city which charge more for disabled people to use them than able-bodied passengers have today come under fire from a wheelchair user who has branded the policy as insulting.
Mark Womersley, 41, a wheelchair user from Northfields, Norwich, said is fed up having to pay more than other people to hire a taxi with one Norwich firm citing extra petrol and higher insurance premiums as the cause of the higher fee.
The problem lies not with black hackney cabs but private hire taxis which cannot accommodate disabled wheelchair users in saloon cars, but need to send out a minibus vehicle for the ride. The passenger is then charged 50pc on the fare.
But if an able-bodied person calls for a cab and a saloon car is not available so the mini bus is sent out most companies do not add on the 50pc.
Mr Womersley, who is married to Aimee and is an unemployed graduate, said: “There are only two or three cab services in the city that use accessible minibuses and it wasn't until quite recently they started charging the 50pc extra. It was a driver who told me - I didn't realise before.”
The 41-year-old, who is secretary of the Norwich City Powerchair Football Club (NCPFC), said the higher cost was not only costly but insulting too.
Canary Cars, based in Salhouse Road, Norwich, is one of a few companies who charge the extra. A spokesman from the company said it is down to the extra insurance needed.
He said: “If a wheelchair user or group of eight people call for a minibus we charge 50pc extra because of the extra insurance.
“But no, you wouldn't be charged if you weren't in a wheelchair and called us and the available vehicle was a minibus.”
A spokeswoman for the National Private Hire Association said the decision was down to the individual driver and company regarding the fare. She said: “The minibuses are using more petrol.”
However, charging more for disabled passengers is illegal, according to Mobilise, a national organisation working for independent travel based in Ashwellthorpe near Wymondham.
Helen Smith, the director of policy and campaigns at Mobilise, said: “Charging more is actually against the law under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). Taxi firms cannot treat somebody differently. I would advise these customers take this matter further.”
But some companies are taking an innovative stance and charging all passengers the same fare.
Peter Farrell has started up Equality Cars in Whitehall Street, Wymondham. Serving the greater Norwich area, Mr Farrell said he is catering for all passengers, but particularly disabled people, the elderly and people who may need a bit of extra help if they have special needs.
He said: “We charge a base flat rate and our vehicles are smaller but can accommodate a wheelchair.”
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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin
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