Sussex wrote:
Someone once mentioned 2% of folks were in wheelchairs, not sure if that's an accurate stat.
But if it was 2% it doesn't follow that those 2% account for 2% of our trade. The mere fact that they are in wheelchairs means we are their lifeline to the world, thus they account for far more than 2% of our custom.
The real world say our trade need to cater for folks in their wheelchairs, we must offer them an equal service (see DDA as amended in 2005).
It's down to our trade to put our trade in order. In many areas folks in wheelchairs can't get out or home in confidence.
We our are own worst enemies, and we are about to get what we deserve.
The stats were/are approximately 7 million registered disabled, of which approximately 1 million are in wheelchairs. Those figures were quoted when the population was circa 50 million, so 2% would have been about right.
As for offering the wheelchair disabled a taxi service . . . there are so many duckers & divers in this trade when it comes to servicing these customers, that it will never be done to the satisfaction of the wheelchair taxi traveller.
The government forgets that any self-employed trade is not controllable. You can have 500% WAVs & it still won't work!!!
The
ONLY solution is to have dedicated
WAGE PAID drivers. That is the only way that the wheelchair traveller will get anything near a decent service.
And that is putting the facts brutally bluntly, I'm sorry to say.