Being able to book a taxi should be straightforward
You have somewhere to be. You book a taxi. It arrives, and you get there.
But disabled people have told us about a very different experience. Rejected bookings. Drivers refusing assistance dogs. Long waits for a vehicle that can accommodate their wheelchair.
Some people have to arrange their lives around the hours between school runs, when a suitable vehicle might be available.
That is why we launched More Accessible Vehicles, All the Time. We want disabled people to travel when they choose.
The Government is planning changes to taxi and private hire services in England. Its response to Parliament’s Transport Committee, published on 20 October, gives us a clearer picture of its thinking.
There are welcome proposals, particularly on disability training. But important gaps remain.
What needs to change?
Our campaign evidence shows that the number of wheelchair-accessible taxis and private hire vehicles in the North East fell by 19% between 2023 and 2026. Over the same period, the overall fleet grew by 30%.
More vehicles on the road, but fewer that wheelchair users can use.
We are calling for a national requirement that all new hackney carriage vehicle licences are for wheelchair-accessible vehicles, backed by government funding. Hackney carriages are taxis you can flag down in the street or approach at a rank. Private hire vehicles, including those booked through apps, must be booked in advance.
We also want better training, accessible booking and action when passengers are treated unfairly. An accessible vehicle is little help if the booking is rejected or the driver refuses to take you.
What has the Government said?
The Transport Committee, a group of MPs who examine transport policy, recommended changes to training, accessible vehicle provision, funding, booking and complaints.
The Government will consult on disability equality training and refresher requirements. We welcome that. We want disabled people involved in developing training that improves how passengers are treated.
But the response does not commit to the Committee’s proposed minimum proportion of wheelchair-accessible vehicles in each area, or additional funding to help drivers provide them.
The Government argues that a minimum fleet percentage would not guarantee availability. It also points to the need for a mixed fleet to meet different passengers’ access requirements.
Booking options remain under consideration. So does a possible national complaints system, which could offer an escalation route after a complaint to an operator or council.
More accessible vehicles, available when you need them
We agree that vehicle numbers alone will not solve everything. Our campaign has always called for accessible vehicles to be available throughout the day.
People need to get to work, attend appointments, see friends and get home after an evening out. Those journeys cannot all fit between school runs.
Different disabled passengers also need different things from a vehicle. Increasing wheelchair-accessible provision must be part of a service that meets that full range of needs.
For Difference, the question is what the Government will do to make this happen. Drivers need support to meet the extra costs, and passengers need to see a real improvement in the journeys they can book.
What happens next?
The Government plans to consult on national licensing standards and publish draft legislation to change how taxi and private hire services are regulated. There will be opportunities to shape those plans before the details are settled.
Difference will press for more accessible vehicles, government funding and services disabled people can rely on. We will use our evidence and work with supportive MPs to make sure disabled passengers’ experiences are heard.
Help us show what needs to change
Have you struggled to book an accessible taxi, been refused a journey or missed something important because no suitable vehicle was available?
Share your taxi experience with us. You can contribute anonymously. What you tell us will help us show decision-makers what needs to change.
You can also share this blog or ask your MP to support More Accessible Vehicles, All the Time.
Read about our accessible taxi campaign for the evidence and the changes we are calling for.
