Background information

Taxi & Private Hire Vehicle Statistics

The National Travel Survey provides data on the users of taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs). Together these account for just over one per cent of all journeys per person per year. This amounts to about 700 million journeys or 3.5 billion miles per year. As well as the Travel Survey, this Department also undertakes a periodic survey of licensing authorities in England and Wales. This includes the number of vehicles and driver licenses as well as the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles in each area.

Research into the attitudes of disabled people towards public transport has recently been undertaken by MORI on behalf the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee. The resulting report includes information on levels of patronage and satisfaction as well as other issues such as passenger information and suggestions for improvement. Statistics are broken down by transport mode, including a specific category for taxis and private hire vehicles.

Research into Local Authority Taxi & Private Hire Accessibility Policies

The Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) was commissioned by the Department to carry out a survey of the taxi and private hire licensing policies and practices of English and Welsh local authorities. Facts and opinions were sought from the licensing departments of local authorities about particular aspects of their licensing requirements that affected the transport of disabled people. The survey formed part of a larger study of the effects of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) upon the taxi and private hire trades and their customers.

The Disability Discrimination Act

Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) covers physical characteristics of transport vehicles and all accessibility regulations are introduced under this part of the Act. Its provisions, and the policy for implementing regulations for taxis are explained in the 'What we are doing' section.

Although transport services are currently exempt from the provisions in Part 3 of the DDA, that exemption will be lifted by future legislation. When those changes are in place, where it is possible for a disabled person to use a private hire vehicle (or taxi), the driver would, for example, be required to take them without additional charge unless he could justify that such action was unreasonable. There has already been a consultation on initial proposals and a further round of consultation on draft regulations will follow in due course.

Part 3 of the DDA already applies to transport infrastructure such as bus and railway stations. These rights have been phased in since 1996:

• since 2 December 1996 it has been unlawful for service providers to treat disabled people less favourably for a reason related to their disability;
• since 1 October 1999 service providers have been required to take reasonable steps to change practices, policies or procedures which make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use a service;
• since 1 October 2004 service providers have had to take reasonable steps to remove, alter, or provide reasonable means of avoiding physical features that make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use a service.

This Department has published comprehensive guidance on best practice in the design of public transport infrastructure and the pedestrian environment. 'Inclusive Mobility' is designed to inform the transport industries' response to the forthcoming DDA requirements.