Cambridge City Council is set to implement new training for taxi drivers to better assist wheelchair users, ensuring safer transport for all.
Cambridge: The city council is making some important changes. They want taxi drivers to get training on how to help wheelchair users. This is a big step forward for everyone involved.
During a recent meeting, councillors discussed how to roll out this new training. They want to make sure drivers feel confident in loading and transporting wheelchair users safely.
Councillor Gerri Bird shared her own experiences, saying there were times her wheelchair wasn’t secured properly in a taxi. She’s really happy to see this change happening.
She emphasized that every disability is unique, and it’s important for drivers to understand that. Councillor Rosy Moore agreed, suggesting that wheelchair users should be part of the training process to share their insights.
There were also questions about whether drivers would have to pay for this training. Council officers are still figuring out the details, so it’s not clear yet.
In addition to the training, other policy changes were discussed, like requiring drivers to do daily safety checks and ensuring private hire vehicles display operator signs.
Councillor Tim Bick raised some concerns about the daily checks, suggesting that not everything needs to be checked every day. He proposed a separate checklist for less frequent checks to avoid overwhelming drivers.
Overall, the council is keen to make these changes work smoothly, ensuring that drivers can do their jobs effectively while keeping everyone safe.
