Whats the law on wheelchair accessible private hire cars?

Question

When I booked the private hire car for my mum I was assured there was a way to clamp the wheelchair down and a seat belt for her. When the time came the taxi picked her up got her and the wheelchair in the car but did not clamp it down or offer a seat belt, causing her to feel very unsafe. Is it against the law in the UK to carry a disabled passenger in her wheelchair without clamping it down and offering a seat belt if it was fitted in the car?

Answer 1

call your local council, all taxi cabs carry a local authority licence that is subject to rules and your council may vary from others.

Answer 2

Try this site it might help and good luck.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Dri...

Answer 3

From personal experience I think this is still a "grey" area. The new vehicles have to have the devices fitted but the driver does not necessarily have to deploy them. If you think about it you, as a passenger,  have the responsibility to ask for the clamps etc to be used. In the real world when you use a wheelchair and have to use taxis it's too easy to feel "grateful" that someone is even prepared to transport you. I do not wish to engage in confrontation with a driver whom I assume knows his job and responsibilities.

Answer 4

By law and its not just your local council, its e.u. but your local council has to enforce the law. When a wheel chair is placed into a wheelchair friendly or private hire, which incidentally have stricter rules now as new legislation is in. They must be clamped to the floor to stop movement and a safety belt put across the passenger. If the job isnt done right report it, you wont be named. They don't reduce the cost when things go wrong. You must be more daring, You can approach a cabbie and say Im worried about my Mum not being secured. what happens (god forbid) in an accident. Don't think the office would know. Cabbies have to be squeaky clean now and if they dont do there job they are hauled over the coals.

Answer 5

sorry i cant answer your question properly ,but for future use when you want a taxi, always use a hackney/taxi company that you can phone rather than a private hire company.these cars are all tailor made to carry disabled passengers,complete with ramps,clamps and seat belts.

hope this helps