South Ayrshire is keen to promote wheelchair accessibility to taxis.

It is one of only four local authority areas in Scotland where all taxis are wheelchair accessible - the others being Glasgow, Edinburgh and East Lothian.

The Council is, however,  aware that some users of electric wheelchairs are having difficulty accessing taxis.

And so, when it was approached to approve a new vehicle for use in the area the Council arranged for the vehicle to be inspected not only by the Council’s own garage staff but also to be “tested” by an electric wheelchair user.

Amanda Beech-Wilson, from Ayr, who is a regular user of taxis, was joined by taxi company owner John McCurdie, when she personally “sampled” the new Volkswagen that had been supplied for test by Patons Taxiworld.

Watched by Councillor Hugh Hunter, the Convener of South Ayrshire Council’s Community Safety Committee which is responsible for the licensing of taxis in the Council’s area, Amanda went through a range of manoeuvres that wheel chair users might need to undertake getting into, and out of taxis.

Afterwards, Amanda gave a “thumbs up” to the vehicle, saying:  “It has plenty of space inside, and wide doors which should allow access for all normal sized wheel chairs. My electric wheel-chair is one of the narrow ones, but there should be plenty of room for some of the wider ones.”

Said Councillor Hunter: “I was delighted to see for myself the problems that are faced by both passengers and the taxi drivers, and how these are overcome.

“Following the sample testing that took place, and the examination that took place at our garage, I have been told that the Volkswagen TW 300 with a solid ramp has now been approved by the Council for use as a taxi in South Ayrshire. It should be able to accommodate most standard manual wheelchairs and some electric chairs.”

Unfortunately, it is likely that there will still be some larger electric wheelchairs that cannot be safely carried in standard taxis and will require specially adapted vehicles.

South Ayrshire Council continues to work with the Access Panel with a view to improving transport for the disabled.

Taxi company  owner,  John McCurdie (left) and Councillor Hugh Hunter pictured with Amanda Beech-Wilson as she “samples” the new Volkswagen taxi using her own electric wheelchair.


October 2006