Taxi Driver Online

Controversial Aberdeen taxi plan put off after stormy debate


A controversial decision on making all taxis in Aberdeen wheelchair accessible was deferred yesterday following a stormy debate.

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

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

The council’s licensing committee met yesterday to decide whether to push ahead with the new rules.

But some members and union leaders argued they should instead push for a “mixed fleet” and urged council chiefs to prepare a report on the Dundee taxi industry, which operates in such a way.

The public section of the committee room was filled by anxious drivers waiting to find out whether they would potentially need to shell out thousands on a new cab.

Unite north-east chief Tommy Campbell called for more consultation before the changes take place.

He said: “Our Unite colleagues in Dundee have told us they have no problems and no complaints about the mixed fleet. There has to be a balance.”

Concerns were raised that the accessible vehicles may not be suitable for disabilities like blindness and cerebral palsy.

Councillor Alex Nicoll said: “We have one person in my family who is a stroke survivor who can walk to a taxi rank but can’t enter an accessible car.

“I suspect there are a lot of disabled people in the same position.”

But administration members said that implementing the taxi policy was the only way to meet their “equality commitments”.

Committee convener Scott Carle said there was “no perfect solution” but the policy was the “closest”.

But after the debate it was decided that a decision will now be taken by the full council in May.

source: https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... n-put-off/

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

The Dundee situation is unlawful and unfair a mixed fleet is financially unfair to the WAV Operator and is discriminant against people in wheelchairs its not all rosy in Dundee as the Unite Union states there are plenty of WAV Operators in Dundee aggrieved Aberdeen should go 100% WAV like the other big Citys its funny in Dundee the majority of Unite Union members are saloon Operators i wonder if its the same in Aberdeen- Got to Fight to keep my cheap saloon car on {screw the rest o you}WAV Operators Should Fight For Fairness.

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.”

hope they do it here, less chance of me getting one

I am the dundee rep for the GMB taxi section dundee. To say the mixed fleet is working well in dundee. I dont know where unite are getting there
information . But in dundee the taxis are like a dogs dinner. With the mixed fleetthere is no such thing as a taxi rank as people just get in the taxi
at the back of the rank. They use the the excuss " I CANT GET IN A W/CHAIR TAXI. Absolute nonsense. There is a difference between cant get in
and dont want to get in and by the way more often than most when it is raining the same people jump into a wav taxi like a gazelle running from a
lion. If you need more proof just read the dundee taxi survey which just came out in january about w/chair users. In the survey it only takes the offices
into account So forget getting a w/chair at the rank.