Request ID: FOI-2649-2122 Date published: 11 March 2022
You asked
In 2017, how many complaints were made to TFL about London cab drivers refusing service to wheelchair users?
In 2018, how many complaints were made to TFL about London cab drivers refusing service to wheelchair users?
In 2019, how many complaints were made to TFL about London cab drivers refusing service to wheelchair users?
In 2020, how many complaints were made to TFL about London cab drivers refusing service to wheelchair users?
In 2021, how many complaints were made to TFL about London cab drivers refusing service to wheelchair users?
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-2649-2122
Thank you for your request received on 18 February 2022 asking for information about complaints made about London taxi drivers refusing service to wheelchair users.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we do hold the information you require.
All wheelchair accessible private hire vehicle owners and all new taxi drivers are informed of their responsibilities under the Equality Act on the grant of their licence. We also provide specific guidance to existing licensees on our website (www.tfl.gov.uk/tph-access).
Further guidance on supporting passengers who are wheelchair users, or who have an assistance dog is given to newly licensed taxi drivers and we are currently considering a range of measures to improve safety for new and existing private hire drivers, including safeguarding and disability equality, as part of an enhanced driver assessment package.
We look into all complaints to better understand the needs and requirements of our customers. We want everybody to feel welcome on our services and we’re working hard to make public transport more accessible to all our customers, especially those with accessibility needs.
Unfortunately, to provide the information you have requested would exceed the ‘appropriate limit’ of £450 set by the Freedom of Information (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.
Under section 12 of the FOI Act, we are not obliged to comply with a request if we estimate that the cost of determining whether we hold the information, locating and retrieving it and extracting it from other information would exceed the appropriate limit. This is calculated at £25 per hour for every hour spent on the activities described.
We have estimated that it would cost £625 to provide a response to your current request. This is because it is estimated that it would take 25 working hours to retrieve and compile the information you have requested. We do not have a specific reason code for this type of query so we would have to manually check all possible queries we have received that might relate to this type of complaint. This includes, but is not limited to codes such as ‘refusal to admit wheelchair’, ‘refuse pick up’, and ‘disability discrimination.’ It should be noted that some relevant complaints may have been coded differently, for example if the majority of the complaint related to another issue, so we would not be able to capture all possible relevant data without manually reviewing our entire complaint history for the requested period.
To help bring the cost of responding to your request within the £450 limit, you may wish to consider narrowing its scope so that we can more easily locate, retrieve and extract the information you are seeking. If you want to refine your request or make a Freedom of Information Act request in future, please bear in mind that the Freedom of Information Act allows you to request recorded information held by us. You might also consider limiting your request to a narrower time period.
Although your request can take the form of a question, rather than a request for specific documents, we do not have to answer your question if it would require the creation of new information or the provision of a judgement, explanation, advice or opinion that was not already recorded at the time of your request.
Please note that we will not be taking further action until we receive your revised request.
In the meantime, if you have any queries or would like to discuss your request, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Gemma Jacob Senior FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
