FOI request (FOI213107)

Wheelchair accessible taxis

Requested Thu 04 May 2017
Responded Thu 04 May 2017

1) Please advise if you have produced, or currently intend to produce, a list of wheelchair accessible:

a) taxis

and

b) private hire vehicles

under the powers set out in S167 of the Equality Act 2010.

2) Please identify how many a) taxi and b) PHV drivers have applied for medical / physical impairment exemption under S166 of the Equality Act 2010 since S166 was commenced. If you've created a list under S167, please identify how many of the exemptions were in place before S167 and how many have been put in since.

3) Please state whether you voluntarily compiled a list of accessible taxis and private hire vehicles following the Department for Transport's guidance of 15th September 2010, which stated, in relation to section 167, “although the list of designated vehicles will have no actual effect in law until the duties are commenced, we would urge licensing authorities to start maintaining a list as soon as possible for the purpose of liaising with the trade and issuing exemption certificates”. If you did produce such a voluntary list, please indicate when you did so, and provide the current list.

If you have produced a list of wheelchair accessible taxis and/or private hire vehicles under S167, or are going to, please tell me the following.

4)  The date the list was instated or by which you intend to do so.

5) The accessibility requirements of a taxi for it to appear on the list.

6) How you intend to enforce drivers' compliance with S165.

7) The list.

Response

Q1 - Information not held - Hastings Borough Council intends to produce a list of wheelchair accessible vehicles in the near future.
Q2 - None.
Q3 - Please refer to Q1
Q4 - We hope to produce and place on our website by the 1st June 17.
Q5 - To be able to safety load and carry disabled persons in wheelchairs. To be able to carry the disabled vehicle in the vehicle properly secured and able to additionally carry any luggage.
Q6 - On street enforcement and weekly inspections by staff.
Q7 - Please refer to Q1