Wheelchair Accessible Taxis - Equality Act 2010

TheThe Equality Act 2010 (opens new window) imposes duties on the drivers of designated wheelchair accessible taxis and private hire vehicles to assist passengers who use wheelchairs.

Drivers of vehicles designated by us 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.

The duties 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

Mobility assistance is defined as:

• to enable the passenger to get into or out of the vehicle
• if the passenger wishes to remain in the wheelchair, to enable the passenger to get into and out of the vehicle while in the wheelchair
• to load the passenger's luggage into or out of the vehicle
• if the passenger does not wish to remain in the wheelchair, to load the wheelchair into or out of the vehicle

It is an offence for a driver of a designated wheelchair accessible vehicle not to comply with the above requirements.

If satisfied that it is appropriate to do so, the council can exempt drivers from assisting passengers in wheelchairs for the following reasons:

• On medical grounds.
• The driver's physical condition makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for him or her to comply with these duties.

Breckland Council has published a list of vehicles designated for the purposes of Section 165 of the Act. (PDF) [83KB] (opens new window) .

To the best of our knowledge the vehicles on the list are capable of carrying those wheelchairs which accord with the 'Reference wheelchair' as defined in thePublic Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 2000 (opens new window).

Gov.UK provide statutory guidance on wheelchair access in taxis and private hire vehicles. This can be viewed on theirwebsite (opens new window).