Private & Ply for Hire Taxi Accessibility Regulations

Overview

The Equality Bill Consultation in 2014 confirmed that there was consensus to make transport as accessible as possible for disabled people.  The Department of Infrastructure supports this aim  and proposes to make accessibility regulations, to enable the carriage of mobility impaired disabled passengers in wheelchair accessible taxis and private hire vehicles and oblige the carriage of passengers with assistance dogs, subject to specific driver exemptions.

Accessible versions of this consultation are available on request.

Feedback to the Consultation

Information provided in response to the consultation will be dealt with in accordance with the access to information regimes. These are primarily the Guidance on the Code of Practice on Consultation and the Code of Practice on Access to Information.

It is also important to take into consideration that making a representation does not necessarily mean that the Department will make a change to legislation.

If you wish to submit your views, or there is some point of clarification you would like to receive, you are invited to respond:

By email at sian.christian@gov.im or in writing to Sian Christian, Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man. IM1 2RF.

Why your views matter

The Equality Act 2017 (the Act) aims to protect individuals from discrimination, harassment and victimisation in certain situations.

The Act contains a provision that creates an obligation on private hire vehicles to carry disabled passengers and their assistance dogs, subject to exemptions.

The Road Traffic Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2020 will broaden this obligation to also include ply for hire taxis and create statutory powers to create accessibility regulations.

The regulations will create an obligation for drivers of wheelchair-accessible taxis to carry wheelchair users without additional charge and for taxis to carry disabled passengers and their assistance dogs.  Subject to certain conditions, taxi drivers will be able to apply for exemptions to these obligations. 

The Department is seeking the views of members of the public, in particular disabled service users and private and ply for hire taxi service providers.  The Department is open to other suggestions or views in relation to transport accessibility regulations. 

Consultation Process 

The consultation begins on Monday 30 November 2020, and will run for a period of 10 weeks.  Responses must be submitted no later than 5pm on Monday 15 February 2021. 

Unless specifically requested otherwise, any responses received may be published either in part or in their entirety, together with the name of the person or body which submitted the response.  If you are responding on behalf of a group please make clear your position. 

The purpose of consultation is not to be a referendum but an information, views and evidence gathering exercise from which to take an informed decision on the content of proposed legislation. In any consultation the responses received do not guarantee that changes will be made to what has been proposed.