MOBILITY MATTERS


ABERDEEN SIGN LANGUAGE TAXI DRIVER WINS RIGHT TO USE SALOON CAR INSTEAD OF WAV


An Aberdeen taxi driver has convinced licensing chiefs to allow him to use a saloon car instead of a WAV arguing some of his more frail customers were struggling to get into it. Garry McNulty, who is fluent in British Sign Language, stated that the change would better serve his primary customer base – the hearing-impaired community. The driver of nearly 20 years learned sign language to communicate with his deaf sister and her friends. Over a career outlasting five WAVs,


he built up a loyal group of hearing- impaired customers who apprec- iate his communicate skills. The council’s previous policy required all new taxi drivers licensed after 1994 to have WAVs. While many drivers have been granted exemptions for medical reasons, McNulty’s


case was


unique, as he presented the needs of his hearing-impaired customers as the primary justification. McNulty’s long-standing relation- ship with his customers, many of whom have mobility issues and


struggle to make the foot-high step up in his current vehicle, played a crucial role in his argument. Garry could easily make the jump from a WAV to a saloon car by changing his licence from taxi to private hire car. But the 54-year-old said that would prevent him from helping clear taxi ranks at busy times of night in Aberdeen, which he highlighted as “an issue”. Councillors were convinced by McNulty’s case and granted him permission to use a saloon car for his taxiing.


LONDON’S LIFELINE FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS AT RISK AS BLACK CAB NUMBERS CONTINUE TO DECLINE


London’s black cabs have long been essential to those with disabilities due to their access- ibility features in place


since


January 2000. With the rapid decline in the number of black cabs on London’s roads, wheelchair-users and people with other mobility difficulties find it increasingly difficult to move freely around the city.


This not only impacts


individual Londoners but also means fewer visitors, less business, and a slower recovery for a city - impacted by the cost-of-living crisis.


Dom Hyams, Founding Editor of the Disability Power100 and a disability consultant, comments: “As a society, we must address this decline in accessible transport and start a real conversation with disabled people to create solutions that work for everyone.”


PHTM OCTOBER 2024


Since 2011/2012, the number of licensed taxis in London has declined by 37%. Meanwhile, the number of PHVs, of which only 0.4% are wheelchair-accessible, has risen by 57% in the last decade. In addition, while in 2013 there were 2.7 black cabs per 1,000 Londoners, the equivalent figure for 2024 is 1.7 meaning that those with mobility issues are far less well-served by taxis in the capital than they were a decade ago. Part of the reason for this reduction is the high cost of a London taxi - a price which cabbies increasingly find unaffordable. Those with mobility difficulties depend on taxis. In 2022, the average number of taxi trips taken by those with mobility difficulties – 17 trips per person per year – was significantly higher than those with no mobility issues – eight trips per person per year.


Disabled people in London rely heavily on black cabs because they are often locked out of using other transport modes. For example, only 33% of London Underground stations have step-free access and of these, around half do not have level boarding, meaning a manual boarding ramp is required for wheelchair users. Sam Pooke, Senior Policy Manager at FREENOW UK, adds: “The decline in the number of black cab drivers is a serious issue, having a significant impact on the inclusion and accessibility of London. “We are calling on London Assem- bly members to raise this with the Mayor and Commissioner at the London Assembly transport- focused plenary session, and strongly urge Transport for London to address the drop in London taxi supply as part of their new Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Action Plan.”


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