Wheelchair Accessible Black Cabs in Decline

The founding editor of the Disability Power100 is calling on London Assembly members to raise the decline of accessible black cabs in the capital with the Mayor and Transport Commissioner.

Dom Hyams’ call for the protection of London’s black cabs, which are all wheelchair accessible, comes as the number of vehicles continues to fall - a 37% decrease between 2011/2012 and 2024.

London’s black cabs have long been essential to those with disabilities due to their accessibility features. But with the rapid decline in the number of black cabs on London’s roads, wheelchair-users and people with other mobility difficulties are finding it increasingly difficult to move freely around the city.

This not only impacts individual Londoners but also means fewer visitors, less business, and a slower recovery for a city already impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. 

“Accessible transport in London is not just a convenience; it is critical to inclusion and independence,” said Dom.

“London’s black cabs are specially designed to be accessible and take wheelchair users, so the fewer there are on the road, the less we are free to move around the city.

“As a society, we must address this decline in accessible transport and start a real conversation with disabled people to create solutions that work for everyone.”

The call for the protection of black cabs in London comes as the number of licensed taxis continues to fall and the number of private hire vehicles, of which only 0.4% are wheelchair-accessible, has risen by 57% in the last decade. 

Those with mobility difficulties depend on taxis. In 2022, the average number of taxi trips taken by those with mobility difficulties – 17 trips per person per year – was significantly higher than those with no mobility issues – eight trips per person per year.

The London Assembly are due to meet on Thursday (September 5) to hold a question-and-answer session with the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, in his capacity as Chair of Transport for London (TfL), and Andy Lord, the Commissioner of TfL, on its work and policies.