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13
Jul 2022
No increase in wheelchair accessible taxis in Harrogate district
There has been no increase in the number of wheelchair accessible taxis in the Harrogate district despite licensing changes to boost travel options for disabled people.
Harrogate Borough Council removed a limit on the number of licenses available for these vehicles last June after complaints that wheelchair users were being “cut off from society”.
There were just 22 wheelchair accessible taxis in the district at the time – and now that figure remains the same.
Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, said while the Harrogate-based charity appreciated the efforts made by the council, wheelchair users were stuck facing the same travel issues that they have had for “many years”.
She said:
Ms Snape added there is “very low” availability of wheelchair accessible taxis at peak times and during evenings in a problem which she previously described as a “cab curfew” on disabled people.
These concerns were first raised in a council-run study which concluded wheelchair users were suffering from a “great deal of anxiety” over worries they could be left stranded.
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Before the licensing changes were introduced last June, taxi drivers were worried that an unlimited number of licences could “deregulate” the trade.
However, those fears that a wave of new drivers could flood into Harrogate have not been realised.
Harrogate Borough Council said while the overall number of wheelchair accessible taxis has not increased, there are now more hackney carriages than private hire vehicles, which gives disabled people “greater flexibility” as these can be hailed at ranks without the need to pre-book.
A council spokesman said:
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