Taxi Driver Online

Aberdeen cabbies must make all vehicles ‘wheelchair accessible’


Taxi drivers in Aberdeen could soon be forced to make their vehicles wheelchair-accessible, despite objections from union bosses.

There has been growing opposition to the city council’s current plans, which will mean all hackney drivers have to adhere to the new regulations by next year.

Unite has claimed there is already sufficient provision in the Granite City, with more than 500 vehicles equipped for wheelchair users.

Last month, the city council’s licensing committee agreed to consider holding a public consultation into the plans after seeking legal advice.

But now, licensing officers have called on the committee to press ahead with the scheme, which is due to come into force next June.

Their decision formed part of a report, which will be discussed by the committee tomorrow.

Last night, the union’s north-east representative made a fresh appeal to the authority to hold a consultation.

Tommy Campbell, regional officer, will speak at the meeting.

He said: “All we are asking for the council to do is to consult with everybody to make sure they are going along the right road, because what we are hearing from people is that they don’t want this.

“We have information coming back from our disabled customers that they want a mixed fleet.

“If they hold a review and the feedback is that people are in favour of a 100% fleet, then that is fair enough, but all we want is for the consultation to take place before a decision is made.”

Mr Campbell previously claimed the union carried out its own survey of hundreds of passengers who were broadly against the plans.

It has also been argued that some disabled passengers prefer travelling in a saloon car.

However, the committee report raised concerns that a mixed fleet could lead to a “two-tier” system which would be unlawful.

The report added: “The concern is that such an arrangement would create perceived unfairness and resentment between those drivers who have to purchase an accessible vehicle and those who can operate a saloon.”

The authority’s position is also supported by the Wheelchair Action Group, made up of taxi drivers in favour of a 100% wheelchair accessible policy.

source: https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... ccessible/

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

There's something called a level playing field a difficult concept for union leaders to grasp but with 500 already wav's perhaps 100% wav is fairer

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

I hope they aren't going to allow them dangerous rear loader things.

If you don't want to run a Wav replate as Ph simple.

Can never work out why the Unite union really dislike everyone being treated equally.

Maybe cos they are a pathetic bunch of c***s.

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IDFIMH

According to another thread, we will soon ALL have to be WAV.

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Grandad,

Who is "WE" ?

The post seemed to suggest that it was all hackney and as private hire was mentioned in the same post, all private hire as well.

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Grandad,

I don't think it will ever apply to PH because of the simple fact that they are Pre booked and not used spur of the moment like Hacks..you have an element of forward planning with PH that you can't always get with a hack.

15 years PH'ing probably 30,000+ of hires and only around 10 Wheelchair user enquiries of which only 1 that i couldn't accomodate because the person was unable to put their massive electric wheelchair in the boot and not because they were unable to sidle in to the passenger seat, i referred them to a the local chap with a wheelchair lift vehicle so no inconvenience arose.

Though I do respect the need of the wheelchair using disabled, there is a limit to what can be done and at odds of 29,000 to 1 i don't think that limit merits a sledge hammer to crack a nut...especially as so many Charity wheel groups steal the day time WAV work and mobility vehicles are ten a penny...it leaves little room for anyone to profit from the extra cost of owning WAVs, and without profit none of us would exist.

I think all taxis should be wavs, or no one should be forced to buy a wav.

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IDFIMH

I also think PH operators should have X amounts of wavs on their fleet.

What the amount in % terms is can be set locally, but part of me hasn't a problem with 100% PH fleets as well.

Although I'm certain that will never happen.

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IDFIMH

On this matter I feel that it is the Disability Associations who should be approached!

It is evident that not all people can actually/physically get into a WAV. As this is being done for FREE for the benefit of the disabled, then they should show some responsibility by asking themselves - do they actually want a situation whereby a percentage of the disabled people can no longer or be able to use a taxi, especially when on a night out and it is the early hours with very few vehicles around, or some big event which would leave them stranded if it were an all WAV policy.

It would not take much for them to put forward a letter to say that it is NOT in their interest to have a complete 100% WAV fleet on the streets.

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Common sense........is just not that Common.

What hacks me off most is their willingness to use Charity wheel groups during the day even though they are not necessarily cheaper per passenger, but when the charity lots volunteer drivers call it quits after 5pm they expect a Taxi company to take up the slack.

That goes for many abled bodied and other groups who use the Charity wheels as well, they may not make a profit as such but they get grants that we can never get and them and who's directors that runthem take handsome £25,000/£30,000 salaries to ensure there is no profit left...hardly a level playing field is it and certainly not bad for a PRI/LBG/NSC (Private, Limited by guarantee, no share capital, use of 'Limited' exemption) which pretty much means all the benefits and perks of running a business without any risk to it's directors should it go bust.

Isn't it them that are pushing the government to activate the DDA?

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Grandad,

I take it the council never read the law commission reports, even though they have no bearing in Scotland , but give an insight