Government questioned on public transport accessibility including taxis

The debate in the House of Lords on public transport accessibility repeatedly focused on the accessibility of taxis and licensed private hire vehicles (PHVs). Peers pressed the Government for a clear timetable and a coherent national approach to ensuring that disabled passengers—particularly wheelchair users—can rely on both forms of transport.

The discussion began with Lord Borwick asking when all taxis would become wheelchair accessible. The Government acknowledged his long-standing advocacy but argued that taxis cannot be considered in isolation. Ministers stressed that PHVs now make up the majority of vehicles offering taxi‑type services—around 87%—and that any accessibility strategy must therefore cover both sectors. They indicated that further detail would be provided at the Report Stage of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, where amendments on this issue are expected.

Lord Moylan challenged the Government, suggesting that Ministers were reluctant to mandate accessibility for taxis outside London because they could not impose the same requirement on PHVs. The Government rejected this, emphasising that although taxis and PHVs are legally distinct, they now provide overlapping services. They also noted that the traditional London-style wheelchair‑accessible taxi is too expensive for widespread use elsewhere, and that modernised legislation is needed to create affordable, accessible options for both taxis and PHVs.

Across the debate, several themes emerged. Accessibility remains inconsistent across England: London has a fully accessible taxi fleet, but most other areas do not, and PHVs are overwhelmingly inaccessible. The Government accepted that the legislative framework is outdated and requires reform. Cost was highlighted as a major barrier, with Ministers expressing interest in more affordable accessible vehicle designs. The Government’s stated ambition is that all vehicles offering taxi or PHV services should ultimately be suitable for disabled passengers.