Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department holds information on the number of local authorities that have offered (a) loans and (b) grants to encourage the purchase of wheelchair accessible taxis and private hire vehicles.

Disabled people should be able to travel easily, confidently, and with dignity.

I know that in some areas it can be difficult for wheelchair users to obtain a suitable wheelchair accessible taxi or PHV when they need one. Best practice guidance, published in November 2023, recommends authorities assess the demand for wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) and take steps to ensure that there are sufficient available, as part of a “mixed fleet” of vehicles suitable for a range of passenger needs.

The Department is not aware of whether there are any loan or grant schemes run by Local Authorities to encourage the purchase of WAVs.

The government’s Plug-In Taxi Grant continues to provide up to £6,000 towards the cost of an eligible vehicle, which must be wheelchair accessible. We keep grants under the Scheme under review to ensure best value for the taxpayer.

As of 1 April 2023, 67% of authorities, including Buckinghamshire Council required all or part of their taxi fleet to be wheelchair accessible. Whilst the most recent annual taxi and PHV statistics survey included a new question on the nature of authority policies on WAVs, the responses are yet to be analysed.