I wonder if anyone can explain to me the legal stance on the law when it 
comes to Taxis carrying Wheel Chairs, ie are the within they're  rights to 
make an extra charge e.t.c. I am looking for the answers especially in 
Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan., but would appreciate any answers from 
all parts of the UK as I am involved with an Access Group seeking this 
information . TIA

PWB wrote:
> I wonder if anyone can explain to me the legal stance on the law when it 
> comes to Taxis carrying Wheel Chairs, ie are the within they're  rights to 
> make an extra charge e.t.c. I am looking for the answers especially in 
> Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan., but would appreciate any answers from 
> all parts of the UK as I am involved with an Access Group seeking this 
> information . TIA 
> 
> 
A schedule of taxi fares and charges is set by the local taxi licencing 
authority and available from them. The legal stance is that taxi drivers 
are bound by that schedule. All taxi drivers must give an itemised 
receipt if asked for. Overcharging will lose them their licences...

All of the far and charges schedules that I have seen preclude charging 
for wheelchairs (or assistance dogs). Generally they also restrict 
charging for the time spent loading and unloading chairs to a single 
charge for either loading or unloading, not both.

You can easily get information from all parts of the UK by contacting 
individual licencing authorities and asking that they post you their 
schedule of charges. Many are available on line - but may be out of date.

Here is a Leeds authority booklet that may prove useful:

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/files/2004/week1/9276405D77186C2380256EA1002E91F5.pdf

Especially:

"The driver must
not charge extra
for carrying
a wheelchair,
whether you are
travelling in it or
not, or for an
assistance dog."

--
Sue