Crawley Council Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAVs) Review Questionnaire

Section one – about you

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* Q1 To help us understand better how our policies can improve the taxi service delivered to you please identify your condition, disability or disabilities. You can select as many responses as apply to you.

Mobility

Hearing

Vision

Learning

Mental Health

Communication

Long-standing health condition

Other (please specify)

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* Q2 Does your disability or mobility issue require you to use any of the following (please select all that apply)?

An assistance dog

A wheelchair all of the time

A wheelchair some or most of the time

Hearing aids

Sight aids

Walking sticks or crutches

A carer who is with you all of the time when you travel

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* Q3 When you travel by taxi, which of these statements best describe what you would need? You can select as many as apply to you.

I'm a wheelchair user and the vehicle would need to be a purpose-built wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV)

I'm a wheelchair user but would not require a purpose-built WAV vehicle

I would require the driver to assist me to transfer from my wheelchair into a passenger seat and for the driver to store my wheelchair safely in the vehicle

I would require the driver to assist me walking to the vehicle and getting in

I find it hard or impossible to step up into larger wheelchair accessible vehicles and so need a saloon-style vehicle

I would require the operator to provide me with a vehicle and driver that can carry me and my assistance dog

I would require a text message to let me know my vehicle had arrived (for private hire vehicles)

I would require the driver to knock on my door or call me once the vehicle had arrived (for private hire vehicles)

I would require the driver or operator to communicate with another person – such as a carer, family member, friend to confirm I have been collected and again when I have been dropped off.

I would require the vehicle to arrive exactly on time and not be late (for private hire vehicles)

Other measures, please state:

Section two – Hackney carriages
In this section, we want to know about your experience of using hackney carriages. These are taxis that can park on a rank in a town centre and be hailed as they are driving along. (Section three relates to pre-bookable minicabs or Private Hire Vehicles). Sometimes when you book through an operator a hackney carriage may be used.

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* Q4 Which of the following best describes you with respect to your use of hackney carriages (taxis)

A regular user (at least once a week)

An occasional user (less than once a week)

I rarely use hackney carriages

I never use hackney carriages

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* Q5 How do hackney carriage drivers meet your current needs? Please identify which if any of the following statements you agree with:

Taxi drivers do enough to enable me to travel

Taxi drivers usually go above and beyond to assist me when travelling

Taxi drivers don’t take any reasonable steps to assist me when travelling

Taxi drivers do not seem to understand my disability or travel needs

Any other comments?

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* Q6 What is your view on the balance between the availability for Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle(WAV) hackney carriages in the Crawley Council area and the demand for them?

There are too few WAVs to meet demand

There are just about the right number of WAVs to meet demand.

There are more than enough WAVs to meet demand

I don’t know

Any other comments?

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* Q7 If you are unable to find a suitable hackney carriage when you need one, what do you do? (please tick all that apply)

Call a private hire operator and get a private hire vehicle to take me.

Wait until a suitable hackney carriage vehicle is available

Call a friend or family member to ask for transport

Use other public transport (please state below)

Get to my destination under my own steam (walking or using wheelchair)

Use a less suitable vehicle for which I require more assistance

Other (please state)

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* Q8 Are there any matters that could improve your journey when using a hackney carriage?

Section three – Private hire vehicles

In this section, we want to know about your experience of using private hire vehicles. These are booked in advance, through an operator.

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* Q9 Which of the following best describes you with respect to your use of private hire vehicles (minicabs)

A regular user (at least once a week)

An occasional user (less than once a week)

I rarely use private hire vehicles

I never use hackney carriages

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* Q10 How do private hire taxi drivers meet your current needs? Please identify which if any of the following statements you agree with:

Private hire drivers do enough to enable me to travel

Private hire drivers usually go above and beyond to assist me when travelling

Private hire drivers don’t take any reasonable steps to assist me when travelling

Private hire drivers do not seem to understand my disability or travel needs

Any other comments?

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* Q11 What is your view on the balance between the availability for WAV private hire vehicles in the Crawley Borough Council area and the demand for them?

There are too few WAVs to meet demand

There are just about the right number of WAVs to meet demand

There are more than enough WAVs to meet demand

I don’t know

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* Q12 Are there any matters that could improve your journey when using a private hire vehicle?

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* Q13 The ability to book private hire vehicles through an operator is an integral part of local transport provision. We are interested to know if operators are currently meeting your needs? Please select as many of the following statements that represent your views

I do not tell operators that I have a disability as I worry that they will discriminate against me

I find that private hire operators are never, or rarely, able to provide a vehicle suitable for me

If I tell operators about my needs they are usually happy to find me appropriate transport

The service I receive from private hire operators is good

Usually operators tell me they do not have a suitable vehicle available

I am usually unable to get a private hire vehicle if needed instantly

I do not believe that private hire operators make reasonable adjustments to help me travel

I would require the driver or operator to communicate with another person - such as a carer, family member, friend to confirm I have been collected and again when I have been dropped off.

Other measures, please state:

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* Q14 If you are unable to book a suitable private hire vehicle when you need one, what do you do? (please tick all that apply)

Don’t attend my activity or appointment

Wait until a suitable vehicle is available

Call a friend or family member to ask for a lift

Use other public transport

Get to my destination by myself (walking or using wheelchair)

Use a less suitable vehicle for which I require more assistance

Use community transport

Other (please state)

Section four: your overall experience

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* Q15 Do any of the following statements apply to you?

I booked a vehicle through an operator but when the vehicle arrived the driver did not take me

I booked a vehicle through an operator but it did not arrive and I missed my appointment or had to cancel plans

I have been refused transport by an operator or driver for reasons related to my disability

A taxi driver refused to take me as I had an assistance dog

A taxi driver refused to take me because I am in a wheelchair

A taxi driver refused to take me because of some other aspect of my disability, not a dog or wheelchair

I was charged extra because of my disability

I have been made to feel uncomfortable by a taxi driver due to my disability

Any other comment? (Please specify)

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* Q16 What changes do you think might improve the situation in the Crawley Borough Council area for passengers with disabilities or other additional needs?

More wheelchair accessible vehicles

A wider variety of wheelchair accessible vehicles (for example, those that are not so high off the ground)

Disability awareness training for drivers

Disability awareness training for operators

Better use of smartphone apps

More Borough Council licensing enforcement

Any driver or operator found to actively discriminate against disability to have their licences revoked

None of the above

Any other comments or suggestions:

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* Q17 Please sum up your experience of using hackney carriages in the Crawley Borough Council area?

Excellent

Good

Satisfactory

Bad

Dreadful

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* Q18 Please sum up your experience of using private hire vehicles (those you book or get via an app) in the Crawley Borough Council area?

Excellent

Good

Satisfactory

Bad

Dreadful

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* Q19 Please tell us about any positive experiences you have had in using taxis in other places that you think could provide useful lessons for Crawley Borough Council to learn from.

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* Q20 Please tell us about any difficult or bad experiences you have had in other places that could provide guides for what should not happen in Crawley?

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* Please provide your postcode

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* Q21 If this survey has been filled in by someone else on your behalf, please state what their relationship is to you

Carer

Family member

Support worker

Other

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* Please feel free to add any further questions or comments.

Thank you for your response

This independent research complies with The Department for Transport Best Practice Guidance