Wheelchair accessible taxi and private hire vehicles

The Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022 came into force on 28 June 2022. The act helps to make sure disabled passengers can use a taxi or private hire vehicle without being discriminated against. It makes sure passengers can receive assistance without being charged any extra.

Taxi and private hire drivers and operators

All taxi and private hire vehicle drivers and operators are subject to duties under the Equality Act. This is regardless of whether or not their vehicle is classed as being wheelchair accessible.

All taxi and private hire vehicle drivers must:

  • accept any disabled person and give them any assistance they need to carry their mobility aids. No extra charge can be made for doing this. All costs should be the same as for a non disabled passenger.
  • help any disabled person who asks for help to find the vehicle they've booked, at no extra charge.

It is an offence for a private hire operator to:

  • refuse to accept a private hire booking because the person has a disability
  • prevent a driver from being subject to duties to carry or assist a disabled person

Failure to comply with these laws may result in a fine of up to £1000. Any driver or operator convicted of an Equality Act offence will have their licence reviewed.

Exemptions

Drivers can apply for an exemption to carry out mobility assistance duties on medical grounds, or if their physical condition prevents them doing so. Read more about exemptions.

Exemption notices, when displayed correctly, will only exempt a driver from the mobility assistance duties.  They will not be exempt from other duties, such as not charging extra for carrying a mobility aid.

You need to apply for an exemption if you consider yourself unfit to perform mobility assistance duties on medical or physical grounds. Contact us online to request an exemption form.

List of wheelchair accessible vehicles

We keep a list of taxi and private hire vehicles that are wheelchair accessible.

We class a vehicle as accessible if it's able to accommodate a person in a DfT reference wheelchair.