Hackney Carriage Vehicle policy

There are a growing number of wheelchair accessible vehicles which are licensed by the Borough Council. All new Hackney Carriage Vehicles registered with the Borough Council must be wheelchair accessible.

Sections 165 and 167 of the Equality Act 2010 require drivers of designated wheelchair accessible taxis and private hire vehicles to:

• carry the passenger while in the wheelchair
• to not make any additional charge for doing so
• carry the wheelchair, if the passenger chooses to sit in a passenger seat
• take such steps as are necessary to ensure that the passenger is carried in safety and reasonable comfort
• give the passenger such mobility assistance as is reasonably required

The Act then goes on to define mobility assistance as giving assistance:

• to enable the passenger to get into or out of the vehicle
• to enable the passenger to get in and out of the vehicle while in a wheelchair
• to load the passenger's luggage into or out of the vehicle
• to load the wheelchair into or out of the vehicle should the passenger not wish to remain in the wheelchair

A list of all wheelchair accessible vehicles will be maintained in accordance with Section 167 of the Equality Act 2010 on the Licensing webpage. This list will be periodically updated based on the details given at the time of vehicle licensing.