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Written question asked by Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party) on Friday, 16 February 2024, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 20 February 2024. It was answered by Guy Opperman (Conservative) on Thursday, 22 February 2024 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Taxis: Disability

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring that taxi firms provide vehicles suitable for people with disabilities during each of their shift patterns.

Answer

The responsibility for taxi accessibility policy in Northern Ireland is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. We recognise that the provision of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) in taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) fleets in England, however, varies considerably between areas, and that in some it may be inadequate to satisfy demand from wheelchair users. We also recognise that WAVs are difficult for some people to use and may not provide a universally accessible solution. In November we published best practice guidance for local licensing authorities in England, recommending they licence a mixed fleet of vehicles, whilst ensuring that WAV provision is sufficient to meet demand. We also propose to publish a Call for Evidence, seeking to understand the barriers that disabled taxi and PHV users face and options for addressing them.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
14077
Session
2023-24
Subjects
Disability Taxis
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk