Swindon Borough Council u-turns on wheelchair-accessible taxi policy

Swindon Borough Council's Licensing Committee has made a policy u-turn, opting to remove a clause from the taxi licensing policy which mandated that all hackney carriages be wheelchair-accessible by 2034. This decision comes after legal challenges from local taxi drivers.

In March 2024, the Licensing Committee initially resolved that while existing saloon hackney carriages could remain in service for up to ten years, any newly registered vehicles had to be wheelchair accessible. This policy aimed to enhance accessibility across the borough’s taxi fleet.

However, the policy faced opposition from a group representing licensed hackney carriage drivers. Their objections, formalised in a Judicial Review pre-action protocol letter, highlighted several issues with the council's approach. These included alleged failure to consider guidance on maintaining a mixed fleet and the perceived inadequacy of consultation responses.

Legal advice prompted the council to reconsider the policy, particularly the requirement for all new hackney carriages to be wheelchair accessible. Consequently, an Officer Decision Note authorised the removal of this clause, reinstating the status quo, allowing existing saloon vehicles to continue operating under grandfather rights.

The Licensing Committee ratified this decision on 1 August 2024, affirming that saloon hackney carriages registered before 2 April 2024 can remain operational, provided they comply with other regulatory requirements and are not older than ten years.