Taxi Driver Online

One taxi for town's disabled

28 November 2008


A DISABILITY charity in Nailsea is calling for more taxis to accommodate disabled people.

There are currently only six taxis in the district which can carry wheelchairs.

Taxi drivers are also not given training to assist disabled passengers into their vehicles.

Chris Baker, chairman of Nailsea Disability Initiative, said: "There are only six taxis which are accessible for disabled people.

"Regular taxis aren't able to fit wheelchairs in and we've got to be able to transfer ourselves into the taxi as there are issues with health and safety."

Mr Baker, who was left paralysed down the right side of his body, does not use a wheelchair but has balance problems which makes it difficult for him to get on and off of buses.

He said: "Transport is very difficult for disabled people. Not all buses have low steps for disabled people to get on and one side of Nailsea and Backwell Train Station doesn't have a ramp.

"The other side is not as accessible as it should be because it's too steep."

Backwell Access Group is also supporting the campaign for more taxis.

Member Andy Hull, aged 48, of Longthorn in Backwell, is wheelchair-bound due to MS and is unable to get out of his wheelchair.

He said: "We are rather badly served. I can't get out of my wheelchair so I need a taxi which is big enough to fit it in without folding it up. There's only one in Nailsea which we can use.

"I think it would be good if more taxis were put on for people in wheelchairs."

Nailsea Cars is the only firm in Nailsea with a disability friendly taxi.

A spokesman from the firm said: "The driver does quite a lot of journeys for disabled people each week.

"People who want to get a specific vehicle can do, but the problem we've got is that they are extremely expensive to run. One of our drivers decided that they wanted to buy one and it's been running for a few years now."

A North Somerset Council spokesman said: "There's nothing in the licensing policy which says taxis have to have disabled access.

"If legislation is passed which changes the licensing regime then that's something we will adopt.

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

Could this be the only council in the UK that has read the licencing rules and reg correctly

whats a monopoly?

I dont know, but I understand you once won second prize in a beauty contest

CC

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

Perhaps the disability charity should offer to run a course for the 6 drivers of the wheelchair accesible vehicles. Surely it wouldn't cost too much and would certainly benefit their members.

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

There are quite a few with a voluntary approach, until there is actual law requiring it.
Aberdeenshire for one.
Your council as well, I think Skippy?

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

But nobody lives there!

CC

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

Your forced by your councils daft WAV policy if you want to put on a new cab

We can buy what we want down here Guss, as long as its under 7 years and has a min 1.4 engine

Then your council also has the law interpreted correctly, at least re wheelchair accessability.
The bottom line is that no law requires any taxi to be WAV as yet.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

He does

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

In the land of common sense

Role on the Renfrew judgment

If you've no WAV's up there then why do you want everyone else to have them?

CC

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

We do have some but most wheelchair jobs go to dedicated companies

And the costs are?

CC

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

Taxis normal tariffs others I dont know