Walsall taxi inspectors undergo specialist wheelchair safety training as council ramps up enforcement checks
- Perry Richardson
- Jun 13
- 2 min read
Walsall Council has provided specialist wheelchair transport safety training to its community protection officers as part of National Licensing Week, in a move designed to strengthen taxi and private hire vehicle enforcement across the borough.
The initiative, delivered jointly by the council’s licensing and community protection teams alongside representatives from the local taxi trade, focused on improving officers’ ability to identify both safe and unsafe wheelchair transport practices during vehicle inspections and spot checks.
Training covered a range of areas including correct wheelchair securing methods, the safe use of ramps and restraint systems, passenger assistance procedures, and the operation of tail lifts. Officers were also given guidance on inspecting different vehicle types, including hackney carriages, private hire vehicles and minibuses.
The programme forms part of wider efforts to improve accessibility and passenger safety, particularly for wheelchair users who rely on licensed transport services for everyday journeys, hospital appointments and school transport.
Councillor Ian Benton, Walsall Council’s Portfolio Holder for Street Scene and Enforcement, said: “Everyone deserves to feel safe when travelling across our borough.
“National Licensing Week highlights the important work our community protection officers do year-round, and this training strengthens our ability to ensure taxi drivers are meeting the standards required to support wheelchair users across Walsall.”
The council said the training will help officers carry out more informed enforcement activity, ensuring licensed vehicles meet the standards expected when transporting passengers with mobility needs. The approach is intended to support both public safety objectives and the continued development of accessible transport services.
The work also aligns with ongoing monitoring of wheelchair passenger transport across the borough, including journeys to key destinations such as Walsall Manor Hospital and transport services used by vulnerable children travelling to and from school.
National Licensing Week, running from 8 to 12 June, brings together local authorities across the UK to highlight the role licensing teams play in protecting the public and maintaining standards across sectors including taxis and private hire vehicles.
Alongside the training initiative, Walsall Council is currently consulting on proposed hackney carriage and private hire vehicle licensing fees. The authority has invited drivers, operators, stakeholders and members of the public to submit feedback on the proposed changes before any decisions are made.
