Local Government and Transport Committee, 07 Dec 2004

Meeting date: Tuesday, December 7, 2004

Official Report 336KB pdf

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Petition

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Taxis (Use by Disabled People) (PE568)

The next item is consideration of petition PE568, on accessible taxi transport, which was lodged by Alan Rees. The committee has considered the petition before, when we asked for more information about the number of accessible taxis in local authority areas in Scotland. That information has been provided and a table, which is attached to the committee papers at annex A, indicates the percentage of wheelchair-accessible taxis in each local authority area. Also provided are details of each local authority's policy and whether accessible taxis form part of the local authority's concessionary travel scheme.

The petition calls on the Scottish Parliament to encourage all local authorities, first,

"to have at least 50% of the vehicles in their licensed taxi fleet fully accessible for wheelchair users and other disabled people",

and secondly,

"to have a standard concessionary scheme for taxis".

The position is certainly variable throughout Scotland. Some authorities have excellent records, but others have disappointing records on the matter.

The paper from the clerks indicates first that the United Kingdom Department for Transport will initiate a consultation on the specification of accessible taxi vehicles early next year and secondly, that the Executive intends to embark on research into the public transport needs of disabled people in Scotland. The committee will shortly consider the proposed new concessionary travel scheme for Scotland. I therefore suggest that we write to the petitioner to make those points and to encourage him to take part in the consultation on the proposed national concessionary travel scheme and in the other consultations that I mentioned. On that basis, I propose that we conclude consideration of the petition. Do members want to comment?

It would be useful if you could write to the Public Petitions Committee, of which I am convener, to say how the Local Government and Transport Committee arrived at its conclusions. When that does not happen, the Public Petitions Committee does not know what has happened to a petition.

I am sure that Eugene Windsor has noted your point and will ensure that that happens.

I agree with the course of action that the convener outlined. In passing, it should be noted that the committee carried out a useful piece of research. The paper at annex A is a public document, so the table and the summary that follows it are available to individuals and groups in every local authority area and will enable people to challenge their local authorities, seek an explanation of their policies and hold them to account for the positions that they take.

I agree and I encourage the petitioner, members of the Scottish Parliament and members of the public who are concerned about the issue to use the information locally to best effect. On that basis, do members agree to conclude consideration of the petition?

Members indicated agreement.