FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
Accessible Taxis
Wheelchair users who need to remain in their wheelchair while travelling may require accessible taxis for transport. Taxis and private hire vehicles (minicabs) can be booked ahead, but only licensed taxis can be hailed in the street.
To find an accessible taxi in Surrey contact SID. East Surrey Rural Transport Partnership also has a list for the eastern half of the county.
Taxis do not have to be accessible at present and the government is currently agreeing standards that will come into force in 2010 and 2020 in certain areas.
Since 2000 all licensed taxis (black cabs) in London have had to be wheelchair accessible. Many local authorities in other parts of the UK have also made similar regulations for licensed taxis in their areas.
Outside these areas many taxis & minicabs are large saloon cars which are not wheelchair accessible but, if you can transfer from your wheelchair, most will take a folded wheelchair in the boot. Some taxi and private hire operators have larger people mover or multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) with access for wheelchair users.
You can find out whether there are wheelchair accessible taxis available in your area by contacting the taxi licensing office at the local authority or a local disability information service covering the area. Surrey has local disability information services across the county.
Please note, many companies with wheelchair accessible taxis have contracts to take children to school in term time, and so may not have vehicles available first thing in the morning or mid to late afternoon.
Tandridge has a taxi vouchers scheme for older and disabled people living in the district.
Connect 2 Taxi, 0871 0303, connects callers to a taxi service in the local area. The connection is made automatically so there is no need to write down telephone numbers and can be called from anywhere in the UK. Callers will need to check the accessibility of the vehicle before booking.
Traintaxi website offers a guide to taxis serving train, tram, metro and underground stations in Great Britain. Search facilities enable users to find individual taxi companies in any town with a station. Again, check the accessibility of the vehicle before booking.
By law both taxis & minicabs are required to carry Guide & Hearing Dogs as well as dogs trained by Dogs for the Disabled, Support Dogs and Canine Partners. The dog must be allowed to stay with their owners and be carried at no extra charge. Dogs should wear their harness or jacket with the name of the training charity to help drivers identify them.
The only drivers who are exempt from this law are those with a proven medical condition, such as asthma, which is made worse by contact with dogs. In these cases the driver will have a Notice of Exemption certificate which must be displayed on the windscreen or dashboard of the vehicle and will have a large ED (for Exemption Dogs) printed on it and will show the drivers licence number.
Door to Door has useful information on the Disability Discrimination Act and transport for disabled people.
+ Additional Information: Door to Door: a
travel guide for disabled people.
Wheels within wheels -
a guide to using a wheelchair on public transport 2005 - taxis.