Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles

We aim to prevent discrimination against wheelchair users by hackney carriage and  private hire drivers, that's why some of our vehicles are designated as wheelchair accessible. 

The duties of any vehicle designated as wheelchair accessible are:

• to carry the passenger while in the wheelchair
• not to make any additional charge for doing so
• if the passenger chooses to sit in a passenger seat to carry the wheelchair
• to take such steps as necessary to ensure that the passenger is carried in safety and reasonable comfort
• to give the passenger such mobility assistance as is reasonably required (i.e. getting in or out of the vehicle either in or out of the wheelchair, loading and unloading passenger luggage, and storing the wheelchair).

 Drivers of hackney carriages and private hire vehicles designated by the licensing authority as being wheelchair accessible must comply with the requirements of Section 165 of the Equality Act 2010, unless they have been issued with an exemption certificate.

It is an offence for a driver of a wheelchair accessible vehicle not to comply with their duties. Any failure to comply with these duties will be treated very seriously and may result in prosecution and/or referral to the Council’s Licensing and Appeals Committee.

Any private hire vehicles can be pre-booked via the operator (Subject to availability). It may be advisable to contact the operator before booking to see whether a vehicle satisfies your requirements if you think your wheelchair may exceed the average dimensions of a defined reference wheelchair.