Hackney Carriage Specifications – Rear Loading Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles

Why are we doing this?: 

Wrexham County Borough Council is currently consulting for stakeholder opinion on Rear Loading Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles, and their potential suitability for licensing as Hackney Carriages.

Introduction

The licensing authority has a set criteria in terms of hackney carriage vehicle safety certification and any licensed vehicle must meet stringent tests in terms of road safety and fitness for purpose. Rear Loading Wheelchair accessible Vehicles are currently available for licensing as Private Hire Vehicles but not for Hackney Carriage use.

Hackney Carriages

Unlike Private Hire Vehicles, Hackney carriages must be suitable for collecting wheelchair users from a ‘Hackney Carriage Rank’. A rank is collection point, whereby licensed Hackney Vehicles may queue and wait in turn for customers to approach the rank. There are several Hackney Carriage Ranks in the county area and these are all located within Wrexham Town Centre. All customers enter the vehicles via the side of the vehicle, with Wheelchair users using an access ramp.

Hackney Carriages also have the permission to be ‘hailed down, by pedestrians in the street.

What do we want to know?: 

If you are a hackney carriage licence holder (particularly a user of Hackney Carriage Ranks) or a wheelchair user and customer of the rank, or are affected in another way by the Hackney Ranks, this authority seeks your opinion on this matter.

Key issues will be:

  • Would a Rear Loading Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle be able to safely and effectively operate within the method of operation of a Hackney rank, without causing unnecessary disturbance to customers and users of other vehicles on the rank? EG currently, vehicles queue for customers and passengers are loaded into the side of the vehicle, while the next vehicle in line, waits directly behind.
  • Would a Rear Loading Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle be able to conveniently and safely collect wheelchair users ‘hailing down’ the vehicle in the street, where a rank was not available?

Please forward your feedback and comments to:  licensingservice@wrexham.gov.uk

Should you wish to provide feedback in an alternative format, please email your request or contact the Licensing Team on 01978 298990.

What we found out: 

We were able to find out the views of stakeholders on the proposal/topic outlined in the consultation

What difference has it made?: 

It has enabled the licensing committee to make an informed decision on the proposal/topic outlined in the consultation.

Consultation start date 23 May 2022
Consultation end date 19 June 2022

Contact

Full address Contact Email
Guildhall
Wrexham
LL11 1AR
Roger Mapleson