Taxi fare Increase Consultation - A response by Disability Action “All the transportation systems in N. Ireland are horrendous. You can't get taxis that will take an electric wheelchair. There is no adequate transport after about 4:00 pm. It's like living under curfew”. Disabled person with long-term health condition aged 55-59. Disability Action NI is the largest pan-disability organisation in the UK and Ireland. We are a disabled person’s led organisation (DPO) and an umbrella organisation advocating for the rights of d/Deaf and disabled people. We provide services that are developed for and by d/Deaf and disabled people. These services which make a significant contribution to the NI economy and enhance the well-being of citizens include: Employment Support Services Skills Support Services Community Integration and digital connectivity Independent Advocacy Campaigning Transport Mental Health and Wellbeing Information and Advice Disability Action is a unique organisation in that we deliver services to the value of £6.5mn and we have a membership of more than 300 organisations. This response has been written and developed by deaf and disabled people. Disability Action welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Public Consultation on Taxi Fare Increase. Disability Action will use this opportunity to propose solutions for disabled people accessing taxis. Research conducted by Disability Action demonstrates that 8 out of 10 disabled people do not believe that transport and buildings are accessible to them[1]. Therefore, there is a population of disabled people who feel they cannot fully participate in society due to a lack of infrastructure. Research has indicated that d/Deaf and disabled people experience significant barriers in accessing transport with respect to both physical accessibility and availability of service[2]. There are challenges with respect to disability awareness amongst staff employed by transport companies[3]. Whilst there have been some improvements[4] in recent years to transport infrastructure, but these are largely within the greater Belfast area and inequalities in access persist in other parts of the region[5]. There are ongoing challenges concerning public transport associated with service costs, provision, and timetabling[6], resulting in d/Deaf and disabled people having no choice but to access costly private solutions. Disability Action note that there is currently a shortage of wheelchair taxis[7]. The Department should immediately seek to address this shortage. This could be achieved by offering incentives to drivers to provide wheelchair taxis. Disabled people in NI do not have access to the same equality protections as our counterparts in England, Scotland, and Wales. The Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has stated that the lack of progress to close the gaps in legal protections between equality law in Northern Ireland and Great Britain has positioned the region in the “dark ages” with respect to equality to such an extent that there is a “serious risk of falling way behind, to not being a developed country”.[8] New laws enacted in England, Scotland and Wales provide additional protections for disabled people travelling in taxis[9]. These laws will ensure that disabled people receive assistance and can travel with dignity and confidence and ensure that we are protected from extra charges and rip off fares. The Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has stated that lack of progress to close the gaps in legal protections between equality law in Northern Ireland and Great Britain has positioned the region in the “dark ages” with respect to equality to such an extent that there is a “serious risk of falling way behind, to not being a developed country”.[10] Disability Action are calling for legislative provisions to ensure that disabled people have the same access to protections and services as our counterparts in England, Scotland and Wales. This includes enacting the provisions within the Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022[11]. Our research also demonstrates that almost 8 out of 10 deaf and disabled people do not have enough money to have a decent life (ECNI, 2022)[12]. Disabled people face a higher risk of poverty and have done so more than two decades (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2022)[13]. Energy for powering essential equipment such as hoists, beds, breathing equipment, powered chairs and monitors was already expensive, with the extra costs of disability estimated at £600 per month pre crisis[14] (Scope, 2019). These costs are escalating and spiralling out of control. Disability Action recommend the introduction of a taxi card similar to that which currently operates in Scotland[15]. This scheme allows disabled people to access reduced taxi fares. Such a scheme would assist disabled people to better meet the costs of accessing private transport. When considering disabled people’s access to private and public transport it is important to highlight the Disability Action Transport Scheme. This scheme is funded by the Department of Infrastructure and provides door-to-door transport for: Older people aged 80 and over People who are registered blind People receiving the high mobility rate of DLA / PIP The service is not resourced to a level which can facilitate evening and weekend bookings. The service cannot provide transport at these times due to funding challenges. The inability to provide DATs at this time pushes disabled people towards expensive private transport solutions. Disability Action recommend the extension of DATs to evenings and weekends to better serve disabled people. This would ensure that disabled people had access to consistent and accessible public transport delivery across the region, reducing the reliance on costly private solutions and removing barriers in accessing public transport. Disability Action note that the results of the Department’s desktop review show that biggest contributor to the increase in the cost per live mile was depot rent and associated fees (+27.2% since the implementation of the 2019 review in 2021). Disability Action would like to note that it is two times higher than inflation. Graph provided by Department shows that fuel price increased by just 0.19p per liter that would be equivalent to 15% while depot rent increased £2874 which would be equivalent 206%. Disability Action recommends that action is taken to address the rising costs of depot rent. In response to the consultation to increase private taxi fares, Disability Action have taken the opportunity to holistically appraise access to transport by disabled people. In response we propose the following solutions: The Department should immediately act to address the shortage of wheelchair taxis. This could be achieved by offering incentives to drivers to provide wheelchair taxis. The introduction of legislative provisions to ensure that disabled people have the same access to protections and services as our counterparts in England, Scotland, and Wales. This includes enacting the provisions within the Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022[16]. The introduction of a taxi card similar to that which currently operates in Scotland[17]. This scheme allows disabled people to access reduced taxi fares. Such a scheme would assist disabled people to better meet the costs of accessing private transport. the extension of the Disability Action Transport Scheme to evenings and weekends to better serve disabled people. For further information contact Greta Gurklyte, Public Engagement Officer at Disability Action at [email protected] and Nuala Toman Head of Policy at [email protected] --- [1] Toman, N. et al (2022): Progress towards the implementation of the UNCRPD in Northern Ireland, page 11 (Disability Action for ECNI). [2] Harper, C., McClenahan, S., Byrne, B. and Russell, H. (2012): Disability Programmes and Policies how does Northern Ireland measure up? p.106 (accessed 10 October 2021). [3] IMNI (2017): United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Jurisdictional ‘Parallel’ Report on Implementation in Northern Ireland: Working Paper, p.22. (accessed 2 November 2021). [4] Improvements in transport infrastructure include: the Disability Action Transport Scheme for people living in towns and cities who find it difficult to use public transport; Translink Easibus services which are mainly operational in Belfast provide accessible local bus services for (but not exclusively mobility impaired people; Shopmobility provides financial support for schemes in Ballymena, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Cookstown, Dungannon, Enniskillen, Lisburn, Derry/Londonderry (known as Foyle), Magherafelt, Newry and Omagh. These schemes lend manual and powered wheelchairs and powered scooters to members of the public with limited mobility to shop and use leisure and commercial facilities. [5] DfC (2020): Disability Strategy and Expert Advisory Panel: Report and Recommendations,p.78 (accessed 10 October 2021). [6] Harper, C., McClenahan, S., Byrne, B. and Russell, H. (2012): Disability Programmes and Policies how does Northern Ireland measure up? pp.165-186 (accessed 10 October 2021). [7] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-61712765 [8] The Irish Times (2021): Northern Ireland ‘in dark ages’ in terms of equality laws, 20 October 2021 (accessed 5 November 2021). [9] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/most-significant-change-to-taxi-and-private-hire-vehicle-accessibility-legislation-in-12-years [10] The Irish Times (2021): Northern Ireland ‘in dark ages’ in terms of equality laws, 20 October 2021 (accessed 5 November 2021). [11] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/most-significant-change-to-taxi-and-private-hire-vehicle-accessibility-legislation-in-12-years [12] Toman, N. et al (2022): Progress towards the implementation of the UNCRPD in Northern Ireland, page 11 (Disability Action for ECNI). [13] Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2022): UK Poverty 2022 - The essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK, page 57 [14] See: https://www.scope.org.uk/campaigns/extra-costs/ [15] https://www.mygov.scot/transport-help/cars-and-taxis [16] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/most-significant-change-to-taxi-and-private-hire-vehicle-accessibility-legislation-in-12-years [17] https://www.mygov.scot/transport-help/cars-and-taxis