SVI has been working with Sandwell Council’s Taxi Licensing Team to make sure the borough’s taxis meet the needs of blind and partially sighted people.
We invited the Council’s Senior Licensing Officer Usha Devi to talk to us at our regular Tea and Toast session in August. Usha talked to us about the regulations relating to taxi licensing. We told her about some of the problems that visually impaired taxi users experience on a regular basis.
Following on from this session, Usha invited SVI Development Worker Sandra Troth and Advocacy and Information Coordinator Sue Bloomer to November’s meeting of the taxi forum.
The invitation to this forum was very welcome, as we could carry forward some of the conversations we had had at Tea and Toast. The Taxi Forum is a place to discuss any concerns and issues about taxi services. It includes representatives from a range of taxi operators, together with members of the council’s taxi licensing staff.
Sandra explained some of the problems encountered by visually impaired people when booking and taking a taxi, citing personal examples of when things go wrong.
We learned more about the rules and guidance that operators and drivers need to follow and were privileged to be able to take a spin in a brand new electric taxi cab. We checked out the specs and the gadgets which included Braille, plenty of headroom, a ramp to aid accessibility, carpet as standard and upholstered seats.
Sandra said: “Taxi Licensing seems to be really proactively trying to improve services for visually impaired and blind people. Thank you to Usha for coming to speak with us at Tea and Toast and inviting us to the forum. We plan to attend more of these meetings in the future. If you have any feedback, positive or negative, about taxis, then contact us at SVI.”
