For some time, RADAR has been campaigning for accessible taxi policies to be introduced in all Local Authorities throughout the UK. We have had some significant success, but believe that the only way to ensure standardisation across the country is for the Government to introduce accessible taxi regulations.
GET YOUR MP TO SIGN EARLY DAY MOTION 717 NOW:
"That this House notes the vital role taxis play in the transportation of disabled passengers; notes that this is of particular concern to RADAR, a national network of disability organisations and for disabled people; is concerned that a failure to produce regulations will have a significant and deleterious effect on the transport improvements for disabled people across the UK; and calls upon the Department for Transport to implement disability regulations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, rather than a voluntary code."
The 1995 Disability Discrimination Act committed the Government to introducing these regulations by 2010. However, Sadiq Khan MP recently tabled a written question and received the following answer:
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce taxi access regulations under Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 before 2010.
Answer (from Gillian Merron MP): The Government do not intend to bring forward the introduction of taxi accessibility regulation under Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, ahead of the proposals announced in the House on 26 October 2003. These would see the phasing in of regulations, under Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in specified licensing areas from 2010 (for all newly licensed vehicles), with full compliance by 2020.
The 2010 date has been proposed to accommodated a full public consultation process, to give sufficient time for vehicle manufacturers and converters to produce new models that meet the regulations, and to give the trade sufficient time to adapt to the change.
We are currently developing the technical specification which will form the basis for the regulations.
In the period before regulations are introduced, local licensing authorities remain free to introduce their own accessibility policies and many have done so already.
RADAR believes it is essential to introduce these regulations for all licensing areas by 2010. Disabled people should not have to wait another 14 years for a taxi we can use!
RADAR is constantly lobbying to achieve the changes that we need, and is working with taxi and training companies to help get our message across.
To read RADAR's accessible taxi and private hire vehicles policy statement, click here.
To find out some questions that you can ask your Local Authority to try and push for action in your area, click here.
RADAR would like to thank the Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance (SATA) for allowing us to use their documents in the preparation of these materials. For more information about SATA, contact Alan Rees on 0131 315 3006 or at.rees@sol.co.uk.