Less taxing taxi trips for disabled passengers

New proposals to improve access to taxis for disabled people have been launched by Transport Minister Paul Clark.

The consultation asks for feedback on improvements that could be made to the design of vehicles and how taxi companies can offer a better service to people with mobility issues.

Transport Minister Paul Clark said; "I know that taxis are essential for many people with disabilities - helping them to live independent lives, and get more easily from A to B.

"That's why we're launching this consultation - to find ways of ensuring that taxis are available that meet people's needs"

Under the Disability Discrimination Act it is already unlawful for taxi drivers to discriminate against disabled people and they have a responsibility to provide a full service to all passengers. However, this is currently difficult to enforce by law and there is no universal standard for what constitutes an accessible taxi.

The Government has therefore published a public consultation to discuss the most effective way of improving access to taxis for people with a variety of disabilities. It asks for views on;

improving access to taxis so that people with different types of impairment or disability can receive an equal level of service provision;

a set standard for accessibility in taxis;

whether the standard should be issued as guidance or introduced as a regulation;

exploring issues and options in relation to enforcement, driver training and links with other local transport policies and initiatives;

improving enforcement.