Law Commission launches major review of transport accessibility law, with taxis and PHVs under scrutiny

The Law Commission has begun a three‑year review of accessibility laws across England and Wales, placing taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing firmly within scope. The project, commissioned by the Department for Transport, follows a 2025 Transport Select Committee report which found that disabled people continue to face significant barriers when travelling and often lack clear routes to challenge poor treatment.

The Commission says the current legal framework is a “patchwork” of overlapping duties, inconsistent standards and uneven enforcement across different modes of transport. Its review will consider whether accessibility obligations should be strengthened and made more consistent across buses, trains, taxis and other services. For the taxi and PHV sector, this could mean clearer Equality Act duties, stronger enforcement powers for licensing authorities, and more consistent national standards for wheelchair access, assistance‑dog compliance and driver conduct.

Accessibility issues in the taxi and PHV sector have remained a persistent concern, with cases involving refusals of wheelchair users, unlawful surcharges, and inconsistent application of exemptions drawing national attention. The Commission is expected to examine whether current laws give licensing authorities the tools they need to act quickly and effectively when drivers discriminate against disabled passengers, and whether passengers have adequate access to redress.

Disabled people’s lived experience will be central to the review. The Commission plans extensive engagement with passengers, representative groups, operators and regulators ahead of a full public consultation in autumn 2027. Professor Alison Young, Commissioner for Public Law and the Law in Wales, said the review is an opportunity to make the law “simpler, stronger and fairer,” while Roads and Buses Minister Simon Lightwood said it will give both disabled people and transport operators the clarity they need.