Assistance Dogs for Passengers
An assistance dog is not a pet, but a working service dog that has been certified by an organisation, that is a full member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF), as trained or undergoing training to help a disabled person. To evidence this, either the dog must be wearing an identifying harness/jacket or its owner must be carrying certifying documents.
All Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles are required to carry assistance dogs, accompanying passengers, free of charge and allow the assistance dog to be accommodated within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The dog shall be allowed to be positioned as per the passenger’s request. Drivers are expected to provide any reasonable assistance requested by the passenger.
Drivers who are medically unfit to be near dogs will be required to undergo independent medical certification to exempt them from these duties. Drivers with a medical exemption, will be required to have their certificate on display in the vehicle.
Wheelchair Accessibility for Passengers
Section 165 of the Equality Act 2010 imposes legal duties on the driver of a designated Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicle which has been hired by, or for, a disabled person in a wheelchair, or by another person who wishes to be accompanied by a disabled person who is in a wheelchair.
Section 167 of the Equality Act 2010 permits licensing authorities to maintain a list of designated wheelchair-accessible hackney carriage and private hire vehicles. You can view the register here.
Drivers who are medically unfit to safely assist wheelchair users will be required to independent medical certification to exempt them from these duties. Drivers with a medical exemption, will be required to have their certificate on display in the vehicle.
Complaints about Discrimination
All licensed drivers must provide a service for everyone and must not discriminate against you. If you believe that you are being discriminated against because of your age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, please call 01902 55TAXI or visit www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/55TAXI
Assistance for Applicants
Licensing Services is committed to equal opportunities in employment and service delivery, providing accessible and appropriate services for applicants. If you have a disability where reasonable adjustments are required to support the completion of your application, please contact driver.lic@wolverhampton.gov.uk to discuss the support available. If you prefer to discuss your application using British Sign Language, we have a dedicated officer with a British Sign Language Level 1 Award that can support you with this.
If you have a disability and you would like to apply for a driver licence, you must first tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) about any medical condition that could affect your driving. The DVLA may add a code to your driving licence to tell you what conditions you must meet to drive. You will then need to undergo an assessment by a General Medication Council (GMC) registered medical practitioner to certify that you meet DVLA Group 2 Standard.
Licensing Services are committed to being fair and inclusive to people who use or would like to use our services. All officers have completed equality and diversity training and those with the authority to refuse an application have undergone unconscious bias training. The Council’s Commitment to Equalities is also available here in more detail.
This City of Wolverhampton council website and the taxi and private hire vehicle web pages therein are partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard. The associated non-compliances are listed within the corporate Accessibility Statement that appears on the website. This statement was approved by the Cabinet Office when assessed in relation to its accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.