Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles - Disabled Persons Act 2022

New DfT Guidance - Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022, was introduced in June 2022.

Amending the Equality Act 2010, it introduces new and amends existing duties for local authorities and taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers and operators.

The 2022 Act aims to ensure that disabled people can use taxi and PHV services with confidence that they will not be discriminated against, and local authorities have an important role to play in ensuring the requirements are implemented effectively.

Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles

All licensing authorities, such as North West Leicestershire District Council, must publish a list of licenced taxis and PHVs that are wheelchair accessible. This identifies the vehicles whose drivers are subject to the duties of section 165 of the act to provide assistance to wheelchair without any charge.

Wheelchair Accessible HCV and PH Vehicles (Word Document, 0.1 Mb)

Drivers should notify us if they believe their vehicle is wheelchair accessible. This information will be published on this web page.

Exemptions

• All taxi and PHV drivers may apply for an exemption certificate and notice on medical grounds or where their physical condition prevents them from performing the mobility assistance duties at sections 164a and 165 (as added/amended by the 2022 Act).
• Both existing and new exemption notices, when displayed correctly, will exempt a driver only from the mobility assistance duties at sections 164a and 165 - meaning, for example, that a driver's medical condition can no longer be used as a justification for charging a disabled person more than a non-disabled person.

Please contact us immediately if you consider yourself or one of your drivers are medically or physically unfit to perform the mobility assistance duties.  Following this, consideration will be given whether an exemption can apply. Please note this is not guaranteed, and any request must be supported by medical evidence which we may refer to an independent medical advisor.

New requirements for drivers and operators

All taxi and PHV drivers and operators - regardless of whether they drive a wheelchair accessible vehicle - must:

• Accept the carriage of any disabled person, provide them with reasonable mobility assistance, and carry their mobility aids, all without charging any more than they would for a non-disabled passenger
• Provide any disabled passenger who requests it with assistance to identify the vehicle, at no extra charge

PHV operators will be required to:

• Accept bookings for or on behalf of any disabled person, if they have a suitable vehicle available

Anyone found not be adhering to the legislation may face prosecution and/or be referred to the licensing sub-committee, which could result in the suspension or loss of a licence.

Read the full government guidance. 

Should you have any questions please email licensing@nwleicestershire.gov.uk