West Suffolk Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAVs) Review Questionnaire - Version 2

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

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* If you select Other in Q1, 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 am in a wheelchair and the vehicle would need to be a purpose-built wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV)

I am in a wheelchair 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

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* If you select Other measures in Q3, Please specify

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).

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

A regular user

An occasional user

I rarely 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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* If you select Any other comments in Q5 Please specify

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* Q6 What is your view on the balance between the availability for Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle(WAV) hackney carriages in West Suffolk 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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* 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

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 under my own steam (walking or using wheelchair)

Use a less suitable vehicle for which I require more assistance

Other

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* If you select Other in Q7, Please state

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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* Q8 Which of the following best describes you with respect to your use of private hire vehicles (minicabs)

A regular user

An occasional user

I rarely use private hire vehicles

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* Q9 How do private hire taxi 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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* If you select Any other comments in Q9 Please specify

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* Q10 What is your view on the balance between the availability for WAV private hire vehicles in West Suffolk 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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* Q11 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

If I book sufficiently in advance operators will usually meet my needs (please tell us how far in advance)

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

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* If you select If I book sufficiently in advance operators will usually meet my needs in Q11 please tell us how far in advance

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* Q12 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 under my own steam (walking or using wheelchair)

Use a less suitable vehicle for which I require more assistance

Use community transport

Other

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* If you select Other in Q12, Please state

Section four: your overall experience

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* Q13 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 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

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* If you select Other comment in Q13, Please state

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* Q14 Do you agree with the current policy that all new and replacement hackney carriage vehicles should be wheelchair accessible?

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* Q14 What changes do you think might improve the situation in West Suffolk 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 council 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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* If you select Any other comments or suggestions in Q14, Please specify

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* Q15 Please sum up your experience of using taxis in West Suffolk?

Excellent

Good

Satisfactory

Bad

Dreadful

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* Q16 Please tell us about any positive experiences you have had in using taxis in other places that you think could provide useful lessons for West Suffolk Council to learn from.

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* Q17 The provision of taxis differs slightly across the West Suffolk district. In order to help us understand patterns by area, please tell us whether you live in the area formerly covered by Forest Heath District Council (Brandon, Lakenheath, Mildenhall, Newmarket, Red Lodge and surrounding areas) or St Edmundsbury Borough Council (Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill and surrounding areas). If you don’t know this information, please tell us your postcode, minus the last two characters for example IP33 3

Former Forest Heath District Council area

Former St Edmundsbury Borough Council area

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* If you don’t know which zone you live in, please tell us your postcode, minus the last two characters for example IP33 3

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* Q18 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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* If you select Other in Q18, Please specify

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

Thank you for your response