Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that taxis and private hire vehicles are accessible to people with disabilities.

Accessible taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) services are essential for helping many disabled people to remain independent and complete door-to-door journeys.

In 2017 we commenced legislation to ensure wheelchair users receive the support they require and are not charged extra when taking taxis and PHVs, and later in the year we plan to review the reasons why some drivers continue to refuse passengers with assistance dogs, and the efficacy of actions to prevent such behaviour.

Ultimately however, local licensing authorities should use their existing powers to ensure that taxi and PHV fleets reflect the needs of passengers, that drivers understand the rights and requirements of disabled people, and that robust action is taken against drivers who discriminate illegally against them.