Campaigner seeks urgent action to address lack of wheelchair-accessible taxis

A campaigner has called for urgent action to address a lack of accessible taxis in Northern Ireland.

Dermot Devlin, from Omagh, Co Tyrone, said that as of December 2023, there were just 380 wheelchair accessible taxis in the region.

He has authored a study on the subject, and said just 6.6% of the 5,719 registered taxis in Northern Ireland are accessible, adding that with 25% of the population identifying as disabled, this proportion is “alarmingly inadequate”.

He said wheelchair users are severely curtailed in terms of where they can go and when.

“Being a disabled person who is a wheelchair user, we don’t have the spontaneity that non-disabled people who are not wheelchair users get,” he said.

“It restricts what we can do in the world, when we can go out and where we can go. Most accessible taxis are impossible to get after 6pm which reinforces the idea that disabled people don’t go out, don’t enjoy themselves and they don’t have a social life.

“But also during the daytime as well, a lot of taxis are booked up with hospitals and schools so we can’t get out to do our shopping, go to the hospital etc.

“Being a wheelchair user and disabled, our life is restricted by not having a proper accessible taxi system in Northern Ireland.”

Mr Devlin said ensuring he had a way home was also a barrier to going out, and said he had been left stranded before, and said after attending a concert at the Ulster Hall in Belfast one night he tried to flag down a taxi but none were not able to take his wheelchair.

“It is scary and it is exhausting, physically and mentally,” he said.

“It means its safer for people like myself to stay at home because what else can we do.

“Staying at home you feel isolated and cut off from society. It makes feel like second class citizens in our own country where we’re an afterthought – they don’t plan anything around us, they don’t plan anything around making the country accessible for everybody.

“We’re just seen as a problem. The Department of Infrastructure needs to talk directly to disabled people at the beginning, not after putting things in place.

“It could also be the Department for Communities, Department of Education, Department of Health. They need to talk to disabled people about what needs to be done, we know because we’ve lived it.”

Mr Devlin’s report was assisted by VIEWdigital editor Brian Pelan and supported by the Social Change Initiative (SCI).

Mr Pelan paid tribute to Mr Devlin’s work across this issue and others that he has also written about for the VIEWdigital.

“He really steps forward a lot more than a lot of able bodied people out there,” he said.

“It’s a cliche, but he is an inspiration.”

In a statement Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins said she was pleased to attend the report launch and meet with Mr Devlin.

“Inclusivity and putting people at the heart of everything we do is one of my department’s foundations for a better future,” she said.

“Last week we hosted an inclusive transport and travel conference where the focus was on improving social inclusiveness to transport and travel.

“In addition to this the DfI senior management team recently participated in disability equality training where officials had the opportunity to travel around Belfast with disabled people to better understand the barriers.

“I therefore recognise that the availability of wheelchair accessible taxis is one of the significant issues affecting those who rely on this type of transport for their daily work and social life.

“I recently announced a phased review of taxi policy and legislation, the second phase of which will consider the lack of access to wheelchair accessible vehicles.

“It is my intention that the review will provide opportunities and solutions that deliver for both those with disabilities and the taxi industry going forward.

“The report launched yesterday will provide me with a valuable insight and help to inform the review and I look forward to further engagement on this important issue.”