'Travelling in London in a wheelchair is a nightmare - I get stuck on Tube and wait hours for a cab' - MyLondon

The number of black taxis in London fell from 22,200 in 2013 to 15,100 in 2023

A disabled Londoner has said that he has to wait for hours to hail a black cab to get around the city as their number has decreased by more than 5,000. Dom Hyams works in digital marketing and lives in Purley.

Head of Strategy at Purple Goat and founding editor of the Disability Power100, the 36-year-old travels from his home in Croydon to his office in Holborn twice a week. But Mr Hyams says he often has to wait 'tens of minutes, if not hours' for a ride, which leads to him being late to appointments.

The Londoner has used a powered wheelchair since he was two-years-old, as he suffers from Osteogenesis imperfecta - also known as brittle bone disease. The London Assembly reported in January that, in 2023, there were 89,600 Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) licensed in London, up from 49,900 in 2013.

READ MORE: London bus drivers 'need more training' says disabled Walthamstow man after ramp ordeal

But the number of black taxis in London had fallen from 22,200 in 2013 to 15,100 in 2023. Mr Hyams says cabs are a 'lifeline' for him, as private hire cars and Ubers are often inaccessible to him. As a result of the decrease in the number of the capital's iconic taxis, he says he often finds himself stuck.

Mr Hyams told MyLondon: "If you think about how the modes of transport that are available, there are certain instances, many instances, where there's no alternative for members of the disabled community to get from A to B, and they become reliant on black cabs to do that."

He added that, in the past, a cab would be there to pick him up 'almost instantaneously', but this is no longer the case. Therefore Mr Hyams has to 'really plan ahead', and travel has become 'a lot more difficult and stressful'.

"Essentially," he added, "it's a marked, noticeable decrease in black cabs that creates, more than anything, a lack of independence, a lack of freedom, which [...] many, many other disabled people in the capital [also experience]." Despite his condition, Mr Hyams says he has always had a 'thirst for travel and pushing the boundaries of what's possible'.

"Having a job in town is part of that", he added, "and obviously therefore, travel becomes an essential part of living a life where I'm working in and around London."

Mr Hyams also described getting stuck at Chalk Farm Tube station, as he was unable to exit the stop in his wheelchair. In addition, he has described difficulties when travelling on buses, including the ramps sometimes not working, and being 'verbally abused' by drivers, who have allegedly told him that he should not be travelling on buses in his wheelchair.

Sam Pooke, Senior Policy Manager at FREENOW UK, said: “The decline in the number of black cab drivers is a serious issue, having a significant impact on the inclusion and accessibility of London. We are calling on all London Assembly members to raise this with the Mayor and Commissioner at the upcoming London Assembly transport-focused plenary session, and would strongly urge Transport for London to address the drop in London taxi supply as part of their new Taxi and private hire vehicle Action Plan.”

TfL says it is committed to supporting London's taxi industry, and has provided more than £30 million in grants to help drivers switch to cleaner vehicles. Officials have also highlighted that the authority supports the London Taxicard scheme, which provides subsidised journeys for London residents who have 'serious mobility or visual impairments'.

Alex Williams, TfL's Chief Customer and Strategy Officer, said: “We’re sorry to hear about Mr Hyams’ experience as we expect the highest level of customer service from all staff working on London’s transport network and take any instances of discrimination against disabled people very seriously.

“Feedback from our disabled customers is key to helping us create a more accessible and inclusive transport network. While we have made huge progress as a city in recent years, we recognise there is still more to do to ensure that accessible taxis and private hire drivers are available, to create step-free access at stations and to ensure that bus ramps are always available for customers.

"This is why we're supporting taxi drivers with millions in funding to help to switch to cleaner vehicles, working towards making half of Tube stations step-free and ensuring all front line staff receive disability training."

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