Taxi Driver Online

Call for better taxi choice for disabled



TAXI companies in the area have been called on to provide a better service for wheelchair users.

Rita Timberlake is one of the carers having problems finding a cab which can transport a disabled passenger.

Mrs Timberlake, of The Vale, Chesham, said she recently needed to book a taxi for her husband but could find only one company in Chiltern district that had a suitable vehicle.

"There's nothing at all, apart from one driver and one taxi, which are only available at certain times," she added. "I think it's awful and something needs to be done."

The Timberlakes normally use the Chilterns Dial-a-Ride service, a community transport charity which can carry people in wheelchairs.

The service, which operates Monday to Fridays from 8.30am to 5pm, must be booked in advance and users must be members. Mrs Timberlake had tried to find a taxi for an urgent journey.

Dial-a-Ride's transport co-ordinator, Yvonne Brown, said: "There's nowhere near enough options for disabled people in this area and firms that do offer the service charge around double what we do.

"We do try our best but the lack of options in this area means that it's disabled people who desperately need to get about who are missing out."

Mrs Timberlake was supported by Councillor Derek Lacey, a member of Chiltern District Council's licensing and regulation committee.

"There's a need for more taxis which can take wheelchairs, and I think it's out of order they are not being provided," he said. "It's wrong. I will get it put on the agenda for the next meeting."

Council leader Nick Rose commented: "I'm very sympathetic. I wasn't aware of this situation, and it needs looking at.

"I'm not sure what we can do, or if we're in the position to insist, but we're looking if we can provide encouragement to the firms to provide this cause for disabled people. I'm very concerned and if we can do something we will."

The vice-chairman of the Chiltern Taxi Drivers' Association, Qaser Mahmood, said: "We've never had a large demand for special cabs to take wheelchairs. We do a lot of disabled people in normal cars and people carriers."

All new Chiltern District Council hackney carriage licences state the vehicle must be wheelchair accessible. The council said there are currently four such taxis in the district.

It is now running a consultation on its taxi licensing policy. To have your say, visit www.chiltern.gov.uk/taxipolicy before September 30.

Should taxi companies offer a better service for disabled customers? Email our letters page at

bucksnews@trinitysouth.co.uk.

http://chesham.buckinghamshireadvertise ... ce-fo.html

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

Sums it all up...Maybe if WAV Taxis were not Second choice or the last option to Charity transport groups then they may find enough users ti justify the extra expense.





And thats Ripe..coming from what is probably a non profit making and publicly funded charity!!..what planet are these folk from?

This is the modern world they expect a multi tier society in which taxi drivers work for next to nothing and are the slave labour class whilst people like them are heavily subsidised by the rate payers and live a privileged existence

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

At the end of the day can drivers be expected to buy expensive cabs to do one wheelchair job a year, the answer should be yes, if Councils, Hospitals etc used them instead of using unlicensed voluntary cars (drivers) to cover work that should be for cabs, I drive a TX4 cost £34000 ideal for all jobs shame the people who crib about lack of Wheelchair cabs don't actually use them, most climb into cars and the chairs are put into the boot, because the cars are cheaper, but still crib on about things, £34000 does not grow on trees. So maybe the Disabled who I have plenty of time for, could be taken in cabs, and should spend some of their Mobility Allowance on using wheelchair adapted vehicles which are built for the very purpose of taking the Disabled.
Malcolm

In your dreams PRICE IS EVERYTHING no matter what it costs to provide that service they expect it to be cheap as chips. I do around 600 wheelchair jobs a year and the vast majority are under £5.00 where I am cheap enough for the convenience factor to make it worthwhile

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

If an LA allows Saloon Cars to become Hacks, no one in their right mind will buy a WAV. E7, T4, or whatever.

They are not economically competitive.

Within 8 years there will be none, or just a couple, left in the area.

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Don't dream it ~ Be it.

There's some guys in our manor who haven't done a wheelchair job in years despite the disabled groups telling the Council that they needed these vehicles. It's the same with the buses, they've spent millions on new wheelchair access buses which lower down on the front to allow wheelchairs bound passengers onto the bus, over the last year there hasn't been one wheelchair passenger who's used the buses.

Many of the disabled people have Motability cars suppllied by the state.

A lot of the lads do very well out of multi-seater jobs at meter and a half.

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IDFIMH

It takes a lot of those to make up what 'wee eddie' mentioned, he assessment is bang on.

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

But thats the point susssex how can you when there are 8 other transits which are not wav's licensed as 8 seaters all with forward facing seats which the punters prefer the only way a wav could be economic is if all 8 seaters are wav's and thats what doesn't happen copuncils either make it compulsory for everyone to be a wav or allow anything to be be licensed hackney there is no inbetween

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

I think all hacks everywhere should be WAV's and no more than 5 years old

and all PH should be saloons and should be plated with no age limit

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

I`d go for that,
Telford Hackney Carriage Owner
Lot of Love
Malcolm

That might be where we all are in 3/4/5 years anyway.

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IDFIMH