Taxi Driver Online

Grantham Journal

August 16, 2006

HEADLINE: STRANDED AS TAXIS SAY NO TO MOTORISED WHEELCHAIRS

A woman with multiple sclerosis fears she will be stranded at home over the winter after Grantham's only wheelchair accessible taxi decided to say no to motorised wheelchairs.

Julie Whatley, 43, lives on Dysart Road and relied on the Groovie Cab to get into town to do shopping and go to social events.

But the owners of the taxi have decided not to pick up passengers in motorised wheelchairs because the equipment damages flooring in the car, which costs over £300 to fix.

Since the Groovie Cab stopped taking Ms Whatley she has managed to wheel into town to do her shopping but this takes 40 minutes.

She said: "That's OK in the warm weather but when winter comes I won't be able to wheel there and back in the cold and wet. When I go out I will have to wheel myself back late at night in the dark. putting myself at risk. But what's the choice? Not go out at all and stay in? I am entitled to a social life."

South Kesteven District Council is responsible for issuing taxi licenses and can only issue or refuse licenses based on regulations relating to taxis and private hire vehicles.
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Surely there must be more than one WAV we are told by our local LA, that 17% of the entirw hackney fleet in a restricted area must be wheelchair accessible

Another myth made up by a licensing officer.

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IDFIMH

Grantham comes under the same licensing authority as Stamford (4 towns under one council) there used to be several WAV's up there but SKDC is UNRESTRICTED and DERUGULATED it is fiercely competitive on fares and to put it mildly WAV's don't pay I've driven one for 9 years and the only wheelchair work you get for them is generally little runs from nursing homes to dentists/doctors anything descent goes to Lincolnshires fleet of taillift vehicles. In addition to that people will NOT get in them on the rank thay will always walk past and get in the saloon car behind another reason why people won't run WAV's round here

I doubt the woman would be left stranded either there is a fleet of tail lift dial a ride vehicles that the council insists on running in competition with the taxis

Have you tryed getting a moterised wheelchair in a tx2,they are not designed for them its hard enough with a normal one let alone one with batteries etc fitted.

This looks like even more ammo to use against the PCO, to get them to wake up to the fact that the TX is crap for the job, its about time the owners in London to hammer it home to them, they could even get them to have a go at getting a wheel chair in themselves in front of the press,
If we are expected to be able to get a motorised wheelchair into the back we need a vehicle to be able to do that, even some of the ordinary wheelchairs are just to big, to be able to carry them safely.
Why are the disability groups not shouting about this, I'm sure that if they where all contacted they could join forces and get things changed.
The E7 could be lowered to take away the steepness of the ramp where there is no pavement, by having air suspension just like the buss es, I had that kind of suspension fitted to one of my old cabs, a Nissan Bluebird, it worked of a small compressor and raised and lowered at the flick of a switch, it was on the car when I got it and it never went wrong,

I drive a Vito and Electric wheelchairs don't fit through the door on that so i doubt the E7 is any better

The one I saw had no problem getting in width wise, it was the height of the poor chap who couldn't move his neck that caused the problem.

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IDFIMH

Height can be a problem too the only vehicles which are big enough for any wheelchair are tail lift social services minibuses where height and width is ample. All taxi convertions are a compromise in one way or another

And it's virtually impossible on my R reg Fairway.

Turned away the same customer on a rank 3 weeks running, then I heard from the council.

Explained to them that Electric W'C's just don't go in.

Aint it sad that I have to tell the council this.