Wheelchair accessible vehicles

Wheelchair Accessible Taxis - Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 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.

The Council can exempt drivers from the duties to assist passengers in wheelchairs if they are satisfied that it is appropriate to do so on medical grounds or because the driver's physical condition makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for him or her to comply with the duties.

South Kesteven District Council has published a list of vehicles designated for the purposes of section 165 of the Act. The list will be updated on a quarterly basis.

To the best of our knowledge and understanding, the vehicles on the list are capable of carrying those wheelchairs which accord with the 'Reference wheelchair' as defined in the Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 2000.

Wheelchair Exemptions Application Form