DENBIGHSHIRE Council’s licensing committee will meet next week to consider a temporary change of rules for wheelchair-friendly taxis in a bid to boost availability and ease pressure on school transport.
The plans follow a consultation with around 300 hackney carriage taxi drivers and private hire vehicle licence holders, with mixed responses received.
Councillors will be asked to weigh up whether easing age limits on wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) could help keep more of the vital vehicles on the road for school contracts.
The council proposes that safety will be maintained by introducing stricter testing.
Currently, the county has only 14 WAVs available (six hackney carriages and eight private hire vehicles), with a small number available for school contracts, prompting concerns over availability and rising transport costs.
The council says while the demand for wheelchair transport has remained relatively stable, the supply has shrunk due to vehicle costs, insurance, and tight licensing regulations, leading to fewer bids for council contracts and less competition, which drives up prices.
At the licensing committee meeting, councillors will be tasked with temporarily suspending the age limit for WAVs for one year.
Instead, vehicles will be required to meet “Euro 6 emissions standards” and undergo three compliance checks per year once they reach 12 years old.
The rules would stand until June 2026, before a review assessing whether WAV availability has improved, with the option of making the move permanent.
Denbighshire ’s licensing committee will meet on Tuesday, June 3 at the council’s Ruthin County Hall HQ.
