Wheelchair taxi bid is denied despite scarcity
A Perth private hire operator has highlighted a shortage of wheelchair accessible taxis in the area.
According to a Transport Scotland document published in 2019, only nine per cent of Perth and Kinross taxis could accommodate wheelchairs.
At Perth and Kinross Council’s licensing committee was this week, it was claimed an estimated there are over 4000 wheelchair users in the region.
Private hire operator John McIntosh made an emotional deputation to the committee as it met virtually on Thursday, April 7.
He and his wife Jane run JJ Tosh Private Hire and operate three private hire vehicles - all wheelchair accessible.
Mr McIntosh said he was alerted to the lack of wheelchair accessible vehicles by a friend who uses a wheelchair.
Recognising the need, they got their first wheelchair accessible vehicle when they launched their business eight years ago and have added two more since.
On Thursday Mr McIntosh presented an application for a wheelchair accessible taxi operator licence for Perth.
He said: “Being private hire I have to wait until someone contacts us.
“We are constantly asked by new clients why there is a lack of wheelchair accessible taxis in Perth and we explained the caps in place.”
At a licensing committee meeting in May 2018, it was agreed the cap on the number of taxis should remain in place.
But on Thursday Mr McIntosh expressed concern at the scarcity of wheelchair accessible taxis.
He said he discovered through a Freedom of Information request only six taxis in Perth were wheelchair accessible.
Mr McIntosh claimed he had also spoken to Tayside orthopaedic and rehabilitation technology (TORT) services at Ninewells.
He said: “They service and provide over 2000 wheelchairs in the Perth and Kinross area.
“And they themselves believe there are at least another 2000 private wheelchair users out there.”
According to a Transport Scotland survey in 2019, just 10 out of a total of 107 taxi vehicles in Perth and Kinross are wheelchair accessible.
In local authorities such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, South Ayrhsire and all three Lothian councils, every single taxi vehicle is wheelchair accessible.
Convener Conservative councillor Chris Ahern moved to refuse granting a taxi licence to John and Jane McIntosh and Conservative councillor David Illingworth seconded.
Conservative councillor Colin Stewart put forward an amendment.
He said: “It’s undeniable that there’s unmet demand and we are not meeting that in Perth and Kinross, and I would amend your motion that we grant Mr McIntosh’s licence.”
But no one seconded Cllr Stewart’s amendment and the motion to refuse the licence was approved.
But Cllr Ahern did add a couple of conditions.
The Perth City Centre councillor asked the licensing team to look at the situation.
He said the next unmet demand survey would not be representative of the situation and should the situation change the committee would lift the usual 12 month restriction - following a refusal - and allow JJ Tosh to reapply for a taxi licence.