Helping disabled passengers

Taxi and private hire drivers and operators have legal duties under the licensing law and the Equality Act 2010 to help passengers. This means offering reasonable help to someone getting in and out of a vehicle, making sure they are safe and a wheelchair is secured correctly.

Licensed drivers or operators

Guidance on your legal duties can be found on our guide to helping disabled passengers page.

Customers

Information about accessing taxis and private hire vehicles and your rights can be found on The Travel Access Complaints Service for Disabled People (DTACS) website.

Wheelchair accessible vehicles

The following is a register of wheelchair accessible vehicles within Torbay Council and is also the designated list for the purposes of section 167 of the Equality Act 2010.

These vehicles are available for contract, hire or reward. When making a booking it is advisable to ensure that the operator that you contact has a suitable vehicle to accommodate your specific wheelchair or mobility requirements.

Please note that the contact details listed below are voluntary information provided by the licensed driver.

Hackney Carriage (Taxi) with wheelchair access
Plate Number	Registration	Vehicle Model	Vehicle Make	Company	Telephone
017	BR15 CAB	Vauxhall	Vivaro	Carpy's Cabs	07877 974231
042	YJ19 CZB	Ford	Tourneo	R & R Taxis	07903840119

Private Hire with wheelchair access
Plate Number	Registration	Vehicle Model	Vehicle Make	Company	Telephone
034	NK14 HFH	Citroen	Berlingo	RTK A1 Mobility Cars	07796 264925
038	OU68 CEO	Renault	Trafic
042	SF20 AVY	Ford	Tourneo
081	NV16 DME	Vauxhall	Vivaro	The Wheelchair Taxi Company	01803 644644
095	OU68 CLZ	Renault	Trafic	The Wheelchair Taxi Company	01803 644644
105	SF70 ETD	Ford	Tourneo	RTK A1 Mobility Cars	07796 264925
116	SF69 KKX	Peugeot	Rifter	R & R Taxis	07903840119
149	SF68 ETL	Peugeot	Premier
180	NV67 RYA	Vauxhall	Vivaro	The Wheelchair Taxi Company	01803 644644
196	OU18 CFA	Renault	Trafic	The Wheelchair Taxi Company	01803 644644
201	WU68 JJX	Vauxhall	Vivaro	The Wheelchair Taxi Company	01803 644644
238	WU68 JHE	Vauxhall	Vivaro	The Wheelchair Taxi Company	01803 644644
252	SF65 FWT	Peugeot	Horizon
314	YY17 UBX	Volkswagen	Caddy Maxi
349	LF70 RNY	Peugeot	Eurobus

Exemptions

A driver will be issued an exemption certificate by the council if they have a medical reason for being exempt from giving mobility help to a passenger.

The certificate must be displayed in the vehicle windscreen and shown to anyone if requested.

If a driver is exempt from providing mobility help, they are not exempt from any of the other duties included in sections 164A, 165, and 165A of the Equality Act 2010. More information can be found on our guide to helping disabled passengers page.

Certificates are issued to an individual and cannot be transferred to someone else.

Drivers that share a vehicle must remove the certificate when they're not using the vehicle.

Wheelchair instructional videos

We encourage all licensed drivers to watch the following videos:

They are to help wheelchair users in and out of the vehicle and secure the wheelchair safely in the vehicle. There are many different makes and models of licensed vehicles, however, the basic principles of what is required when carrying a person in a wheelchair remain the same.

Each driver must:

follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for their specific vehicle and read these instructions before starting work
know how the ramp mechanism works and its weight limits
know how the vehicles' securing straps work
make sure all straps are in good condition

How to report a vehicle refusal

If you have been the victim of an access refusal or of any other type of discrimination when using a taxi or private hire vehicle licensed by Torbay Council, please let us know by reporting online.