Scrutiny at Eden

Wheelchair Accessible Transport - Scrutiny Review

Final Report

November 2012

1. Background The review began in August 2012 with a scoping meeting to agree the purpose of the review and the Terms of Reference. The Members on the Review Group were: Councillors: Patricia Godwin Joan Raine (Chairman) Dawn Stobbart Malcolm Temple; and Harold Threlkeld The review was originally entitled „Disabled Transport‟ but the Group agreed that as they were going to be focussing on transport for wheelchair users only that the name of the review should be changed to “Wheelchair Accessible Transport”. The following were agreed as the Terms of Reference: 1. To investigate whether there are going to be enough providers of wheelchair accessible transport now and in the future. 2. To investigate what information sources are available for disabled users and how easily accessible the information is. The topic was submitted via the public consultation of the Scrutiny Work Programme 2012/13 and Members agreed to a review being undertaken at the Work Programme workshop in April 2012. Public transport, or lack of it, is a regular topic of discussion in communities in the district. This review is not just about buses, rail travel is investigated as is community transport. Taxis are also reviewed. Taxis are a vital link in the public transport structure as many people, particularly the elderly, disabled people and those living in remote areas rely on the door to door service that taxis offer. The issues the Group agreed to focus upon were: Accessibility Availability Information sources Accessibility of information The Group held witness sessions, a Focus Group session and asked questions of council officers via email. Desktop and web based research was also undertaken. The Review Group investigated types of transport readily available across the district but was unable to investigate or list more local village schemes.

2 2. Findings 2.1 Witness Sessions Session One The Group met with representatives of: Eden Access Forum Volunteer Services North West Ambulance Volunteer Patient Transport Cumbria County Council, Community Transport and Compliance Officers Patient Transport The North West Ambulance Service had been contacted before the meeting asking if they had a disabled patient‟s transport policy. Apparently they do not have such a policy. The inquirer was told to contact the local office to see if there is a local policy. On doing this the inquirer was told that without an overarching policy there are no local policies. Those present were told that volunteer drivers are emailed with the list of patients for transport and are informed of any specialist needs or medical condition such as diabetes or heart complaint etc. There is also hospital patient transport and in Carlisle there is a nine-seater patient vehicle. After earlier observation it was shown that often it was only transporting two patients. This type of transport now has to take a minimum of six passengers but there is only one driver with the transport. For patients this often means very long waits in the hospital until everyone has completed their appointments and then long journey times dropping everyone off at the appropriate places. Not only that, but patients are left in the minibus whilst the driver assists the patient into their home. The policy of a minimum of six patients has reduced the number of people using the patient volunteer transport. A 4-year contract for the Alston Ambulance service is to be confirmed by the North West Ambulance Service at the end of September 2012. NOTE: The contract is currently still under consideration. Taxis Council (EDC) publishes a list of „Licensed Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles‟ on its‟ website and this was issued to those present at the meeting. The link to the web page is: http://www.eden.gov.uk/licensing/hackney-carriage-and-private-hire/?locale=en There are twelve registered vehicles run by eight operators.

3 Able Taxis based at has a wheelchair accessible car for hire. Most taxis in the district are not set up for more complex needs other than a fold up wheelchair that can be stored in the boot of the vehicle. Those present were informed that the witness was trained to enable her to take disabled passengers, but she does not have to be. Fees for driver training are currently £90+VAT but it was considered the training was a little lacking. There should be training for escorts too. Sometimes there should really be an escort with the passenger as there was too much responsibility put on a driver. The county council representative stated that the training was being overhauled and new policies put in place. Lifting and handling is also a problem as training is not given. It was suggested that a possible recommendation could be that all taxis should have trained drivers before being given a license. Some witnesses foresaw problems with the suggestion in that many of the taxi drivers/firms in Eden district do not rely on driving as their primary source of income and there are other costs incurred that eat into any profits. Cloverleaf Taxis offers transport for users of motorised or fixed wheelchairs. The owner bought and converted a large vehicle around five years ago and apparently is kept very busy. The firm is based in Penrith. One problem experienced by taxi drivers is that transporting a wheelchair disabled passenger takes more time than a passenger without special requirements but the taxi has to charge the same fare. Under equality legislation to charge a different fare would be discriminatory, although the Group was told that this has happened on occasion. Overcharging has been reported to the Licensing Section at EDC. Public Transport Buses Perception of public transport is an issue in Eden district because it is a large area with a sparse population many of whom live in small villages that have no public transport. In Penrith there is a regular bus service that has disability adaptations. This came as a surprise to many at the session and they felt the service should be better advertised. Wheelchair accessible transport and public transport for disabled people has been a bugbear at the Eden Access Forum for some considerable time the Group was told. The Group was informed that Shropshire public transport is very accessible for disabled people. Buses between Shrewsbury and Ludlow were very good, efficient and plentiful.

4 NOTE: Research was undertaken after this session and the notes on Shropshire‟s policies are below. Railway Penrith station is on the West Coast Mainline and is the largest station in the district. The station is difficult for wheelchair users to negotiate for access to certain platforms. There are a lot of stairs to negotiate and currently wheelchair users have to cross the track to gain access to some platforms. Community Transport The county council has a wheelchair accessible minibus that is based at Eamont Bridge. The minibus is available for group hire (90p per mile). There is also Community Volunteer Transport (same fees as the minibus). There has been a shortage of drivers but the county is in the process of getting more volunteers. At a meeting of Eden Youth Work Partnership one of the district councillor‟s was informed that the list was so long to train volunteer drivers that the volunteers from the partnership could not get training. A Rural Wheels service is also available in Eden district that is wheelchair accessible. Witness Question Returning to the original problem which is the fact that some users and carers do not have the required information for them to get around without their own transport - what do those present think should be done? A: More advertising needs to be done. The Licensed Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles list needs to be advertised and issued to the following: Hotels Public Houses Taxi firms Cumbria County Council Railway stations Doctor‟s surgeries The county Compliance officer said she was attending a countywide Licensing meeting and she would enquire whether the other districts and the county council held similar lists. If they do she would collate them and look at countywide advertising. Another suggestion was to introduce a flyer prior to renewal of licenses.

5 Session Two The second witness session took place at Frenchfield with a wheelchair user and their carer. Problems with Transport Railway Wheelchair disabled passengers are expected to sit where the luggage is normally located or where the doors open and close on to the platform. The problem faced at Penrith railway station is that you have to cross the track for access. Patient Transport (Ambulance) An ambulance with a tail lift is required. The wheelchair is loaded facing the rear doors. This means the patient has their back to other passengers and the driver. The patient is also facing drivers travelling behind the ambulance and that, the witness felt, highlighted his disability. Taxi In Appleby and there are no taxis available to take motorised wheelchairs. There are vehicles located in Penrith and Langwathby but because the witness resides some distance away from both locations both vehicles proved to be too expensive for regular use. Community Transport The witnesses knew that the Community Mini Bus was located in Eamont Bridge. There is also Volunteer Transport available. The vehicles are located close to Mansion House, Penrith. Cumbria County Council carries out assessments for carer/drivers before the transport can be used. The assessment for the witnesses has been carried out but the transport is not often available when they require it. General Following a remark about the motorised wheelchair being narrower than imagined, the Group was informed that the wheelchair the witness uses is quite old and is the property of the NHS. The wheelchair weighs fourteen stones without the user in it. The witness went on to say that the new wheelchairs are going to be bigger and heavier. This could mean that current adaptations to properties will become obsolete. The witness said that many disabled people suffer from depression and getting out does help so long as they are not robbed of their dignity when trying to lead as near a normal life as their disabilities allow. 2.2 Email Questions - Licensing Section, Eden District Council 1. Does Eden have any licensed Hackney Carriages? a) If so, how many Hackney Carriages does Eden have? 83

6 b) Are Hackney Carriages a distinctive colour in Eden? No c) Does Eden have a policy whereby all new hackney vehicles are required to be wheelchair accessible? No 2. How many Private Hire vehicles does Eden have? 38 3. Duties to assist passengers in wheelchairs - is this in the license conditions? Conditions may only be attached to private hire driver licenses. Hackney carriage byelaw covers the driving of hackney carriages. Neither the Private Hire conditions or the Hackney Carriage byelaw specifically focus on carriage of wheelchair passengers, however there is reference to carriage of passengers within the context of affording assistance and ensuring their safety. There is specific legislation relating to the carriage of wheelchairs in taxis and as a general rule, there is no need to „condition‟ a piece of current legislation. 4. Disability and Equality Act 2010 giving disabled people enhanced protection from discrimination - a) Is Eden going to change any of their licensing policies to take regard of the new legislation? All policies are reviewed periodically. If it is deemed that the policy is no longer relevant then a formal consultation would be undertaken by Licensing with relevant stakeholders, prior to amendments being made. b) Do you think running Awareness Session for taxi drivers would be beneficial? Yes c) Do you think drivers should have to have taken an Awareness Session course before being granted a license? Yes, it would be good practice to make any new driver and any existing driver aware of their legal obligations under the Disability and Equality Act 2010. I have already had discussions with Carlisle City Council Licensing Section who have implemented their own Awareness Sessions for drivers, with a view to introduce similar training in the future for Eden. Carlisle introduced the training because there had been several incidents which related to wheelchair user safety in taxis. 5. The Group has been made aware of some instances of wheelchair disabled passengers being charged extra fare for the longer time taken. Can this be done? In short, no. There have been two complaints in Eden in the last thirteen years I have been with the council that have related to wheelchair users and private hire bookings (for clarification, this is hiring from the public rank but by telephone). Both complaints were resolved to the satisfaction of the complainants with no need for any formal action against the operators.

7 2.3 Focus Group, Eden Access Forum

2.4 Research Lincolnshire County Council Patient Transport Scrutiny Review From the above report the following best practice points were noted: Single point of contact for information and access to all transport services for patients (Devon County Council). Project SWITCH covering health, social and wellbeing transport journeys - merging driver/vehicle resources to meet passenger needs (Norfolk County Council). Nottinghamshire County Council worked with former East Midlands Ambulance Service by making social care transport vehicles available at low demand periods to meet non emergency transport needs. Shropshire Unitary Authority The new unitary authority for Shropshire has produced a paper entitled “Mobility Guidance for Shropshire”. The guidance covers the key themes that need to be considered in order to better understand and provide for people with disabilities in the design of transport infrastructure, services and information. The document fulfils a commitment of the Shropshire Local Transport Plan 2006-2011 to work towards “enhanced accessibility and mobility for people with disabilities and mobility impairments”. The document is intended to compliment existing policies and practices, to work alongside the county‟s Disability and Equality Scheme and in meeting the legal requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act and Disability Equality Duty. The ultimate intention of the Mobility Guidance in Shropshire will provide a useful resource for transport practitioners. There were four areas in the document that covered what the Wheelchair Accessible Transport Group was investigating: Improving Physical Accessibility Seek to increase the fleet of modern low floor buses. Support community transport services. Encourage the modernisation of taxis and PHV vehicles to provide better facilities for disabled people. Pursue improvements to disabled access at rail stations and bus stations.

8 Improving Accessibility to Buses Enhancing the availability of Demand Responsive Transport services in rural areas and providing more door to door transport opportunities using modern low floor buses. Drivers who understand the requirements of disabled users. Drivers should receive training. There is a requirement in Shropshire that drivers on contracted services carry a card that certifies they have received training by a nominated trainer. Improving Access to Rail Services This means building up partnerships with rail companies, Network Rail and any community rail partnerships. Improving Accessibility to Taxis/Community Transport Taxis and community transport provide an integral role to all, especially the mobility impaired. They offer demand responsive services which is often more suitable to the needs of people with disabilities as they can offer a door to door service. This type of service can be particularly valuable in rural areas. Support is given to licensing authorities to encourage modernisation of taxis and PHV‟s to provide better facilities for disabled people. Support of community buses is through the introduction of more low floor vehicles. In a survey to test the policies within the guidance document, the most positive changes cited were: Low floor buses and ramps Park and Ride Community Transport Services/Dial a Ride Basildon Council - Review of policy on hackney carriage numbers and accessibility issues (November 2010) The above review was split into two distinct parts: 1. The possibility of re-introducing a policy to limit the number of hackney carriages operating in the borough area; and 2. The availability and accessibility of taxis for disabled people. Thirteen recommendations on accessibility issues were made by the scrutiny group. The Basildon scrutiny Members concluded that (extracts): Taxis are a lifeline to many disabled and elderly people and low income groups. It is important to have a mixed fleet of taxis to ensure the varied needs of all disabled taxi users can be met.

9 Licensed wheelchair accessible vehicles cannot accommodate larger motor scooters. There are availability issues in times of greatest demand. Wheelchair accessible vehicles are expensive and the financial commitment involved in purchasing one is considerable particularly in the current economic climate. The full scrutiny document of the Basildon review is available on request. Carlisle City Council The Licensing section at the council has sent out letters to 252 hackney cab drivers and 77 private hire drivers to inform them that they will have to attend a course and sit a test to make them aware of their responsibilities when transporting disabled passengers. The letters and training are in response to a number of complaints the council has received and the introduction of Disability and Equality Act. The training will be run by the council and will set out what support should be offered and how it can be provided to passengers with a range of disabilities. Cumbria County Council In 2009/10 the council spent £1.7m supporting bus services and a further £306,000 was provided for community transport. The following are the types of community transport supported by the county and district councils in Eden: Community Transport The Fellrunner Buses are operated and driven by local volunteers for the benefit of the community. They serve most of the villages in the Penrith area with services to Penrith or Carlisle. Most services allow for about three hours in Penrith and four hours in Carlisle. There are three buses in the fleet. Two of the buses are low floor buses that are used for the regular service. The third vehicle is a high seat vehicle used for excursions as well as the regular service. The link for this service is: http://www.fellrunnerbus.co.uk/ Rural Wheels Eden caters for residents that live in the rural areas of Eden outside the boundary of Penrith. Rural Wheels can be used to link up with the bus or train, or can be used to take residents to the nearest town to access shops, attend appointments etc. Currently Rural Wheels operate between 8.30am and 6pm Monday - Saturday. Twenty-four hours‟ notice is needed to book a trip and any passengers living more than ten miles from their nearest town will be charged at a maximum rate of £3.50 per single journey. The mini bus has disabled facilities. Village Wheels was piloted in February 2012 but is not available in Eden district currently.

10 Passengers will be required to be registered for a Rural Wheels smartcard to use the services. Information for these services can be found at: http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/roads-transport/public-transport-road- safety/transport/commtrans/ruralwheels.asp The Community Mini Bus is located at Eamont Bridge and this vehicle can be booked as a self drive or can be booked with a driver. The sharing scheme is only open to non-profit making groups or organisations. Further details can be found at: http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/roads-transport/public-transport-road- safety/transport/commtrans/minibusehire.asp The Voluntary Car Scheme is intended for those people who have no other means of transport. Volunteers are available to collect passengers from home and take them to a chosen destination at a reasonable cost. Further details can be found at: http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/roads-transport/public-transport-road- safety/transport/commtrans/voluntarycars.asp In Eden the Voluntary Car Scheme is run by Penrith and District Volunteer Transport Ltd. The organisation also provides a fourteen seat minibus and a small wheelchair carrier. The service is provided for local people who are unable, for any reason, to use generally available forms of transport. More information is available on the Eden District Council web pages at: http://www.eden.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/public-transport/ Public Transport Buses Mainly run by Stagecoach in the county, but in Eden quite a few are undertaken by the Fellrunner under contract to Cumbria County Council because of the district‟s sparsity levels. Reays has also recently taken over some of the Stagecoach routes and provide low level floor vehicles. The Fellrunner routes are in the main carried out by their two low level floor buses ensuring they are accessible, although it does state in the timetables that disabled passengers should give twenty-four hours‟ notice and should travel with a carer. The Stagecoach buses between Penrith and Kirkby Stephen and Penrith and Kendal are all undertaken by low level floor buses as shown in the published timetables found at: http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/roads-transport/public-transport-road- safety/transport/publictransport/busserv/timetables/penritheden.asp The bus services from Armathwaite and Langwathby request twenty-four hours‟ notice to be given by a disabled passenger and that they should travel with a carer. There are several other firms that are contracted to Cumbria County Council that have routes in Eden district but only Alba Travel indicate they have disabled accessible transport on their web pages. The Group was told that some of the buses run by Irving‟s of Dalston on the Penrith/Carlisle route were low level floor buses. It

11 is unclear in any of the web based research undertaken whether the other firms provide low level floor vehicles. The firms are: Alba Travel - route Robinsons Coaches - Appleby route Trans Cumbria - Penrith/Patterdale and Penrith/ routes Wright Brothers - Alston/Nenthead route Reays Buses - taken over two of the Stagecoach routes Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR) 19: The following are dates by which Public Service Vehicles must be accessible to disabled people. They are only for vehicles used on local or scheduled services which can carry more than twenty-two passengers. 31 December 2000: New full size single deck buses over 7.5 tonnes and new double deck buses must be accessible to disabled people including wheelchair users 31 December 2000: New buses weighing up to 7.5 tonnes and new coaches must have improved access for ambulant and sensory impaired passengers 1 January 2005: New buses weighing up to 7.5 tonnes and new coaches must be wheelchair accessible 1 January 2015: All buses weighing up to 7.5 tonnes must be fully accessible 1 January 2016: All full size single deck buses over 7.5 tonnes must be accessible to disabled people 1 January 2017: All double deck buses must be accessible to disabled people 1 January 2020: All coaches must be fully accessible For vehicles under twenty-two seats or first registered before 31 December 2000 these regulations do not apply. From 1 January 2015 all vehicles under 7.5 tonnes will have to meet the full requirements. These regulations only apply to vehicles used on Registered Local Bus services - but this does include registered School runs. Railway Stations There are eight railway stations located in Eden district: Alston - This station is on the South Tynedale Narrow Gauge Railway route. It is a 3.5 mile stretch of track that is mainly used as a tourist attraction. There is a toilet with disabled facilities at the station. There is a carriage with wheelchair access available. Pre booking is a requirement. Appleby - Appleby is on the Carlisle/Settle line and the Trust line. There are toilet facilities including disabled facilities at the station located on the

12 main platform. There is a passenger footbridge with a level „barrow‟ crossing for passengers who have problems crossing via the bridge. Disabled assistance must be pre booked. Armathwaite - on the Carlisle/Settle line. There is no direct access between platforms (inclusive of no „barrow‟ crossing). Disabled access to the southbound platform is difficult. Disabled assistance must be pre booked. There are no toilet facilities at the station. Kirkby Stephen - on the Carlisle/Settle line. There are no toilet facilities at the station. There is a footbridge but for disabled passengers crossing from one platform to another involves using the busy Kendal/Brough road where extreme care should be taken. Disabled Assistance must be pre booked. Langwathby - on the Carlisle/Settle line. The station does have disabled toilet facilities. There is no „barrow‟ crossing or assistance on the station. Disability access to platforms is reasonable but it is a long way from the parking area to the southbound platform. Disabled assistance must be pre booked. Lazonby - on the Carlisle/Settle line. There are no toilet facilities at the station. Disabled access is reasonable on the northbound side. On the southbound side it is now good following the installation of a tarmac ramp with railings. Disabled assistance must be pre booked. The above information was found on the web site below: http://www.settle-carlisle.co.uk/stations/appleby/index.cfm Penrith - is located on the West Coast Mainline and is the largest station in the district. The following are available for passengers with disabilities: Accessible ticket machines Accessible ticket office counter Induction loop Ramp for train access Accessible taxis Accessible public telephones Accessible toilets Impaired mobility set down Disabled parking Accessible car park equipment Wheelchairs available There is a partial station „barrow‟ crossing to platform 2. Staff is available to assist.

13 Warcop - Warcop station has been reopened by the Eden Valley Railway Trust as a tourist attraction primarily. Trains run through the summer months to Appleby. It is also part of the Carlisle/Settle line but no trains stop at the station. There is no information regarding disabled facilities. Public transport information can be found on the following web pages: http://www.eden.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/public-transport/ Taxis Eden district has 83 Hackney Carriages and 38 Private Hire Vehicles operating currently. As shown earlier in the document there is current legislation regarding the transporting of wheelchair passengers. Most vehicles that can transport fixed or motorised wheelchairs are based in and around Penrith and therefore can prove to be expensive for users who live some distance away from those bases. Information regarding taxi services in Eden can be found at: http://www.eden.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/public-transport/ and http://www.eden.gov.uk/licensing/hackney-carriage-and-private-hire/?locale=en 2.5 Email Witness Session with an Eden Resident A resident and carer were asked by the Review Group to look over the evidence and research gathered and to submit any comments. The following is the response received: “I read through the review on wheelchair accessible transport and found it pretty comprehensive. It is a very difficult issue because all wheelchair bound people need different requirements depending on their capabilities. One thing we found was when using community transport for a hospital appointment was the time factor. Being diabetic it is very necessary to keep sugar levels maintained and the vehicle has a long and circuitous route to drop people off. We did try this mode of transport but it was exhausting and risky it terms of time and maintenance of sugar levels. The wheelchair used is very heavy and unless you knew how to handle it, it could be very dangerous, so training is important. I believe not everywhere is going to be totally accessible for wheelchairs; cost must be relevant to usage. Private companies cannot be expected to pay huge costs for converting modes of transport without help from the government. When the conversion is not viable accessibility must be built into the modes of transport from the drawing board in the future so conversions can be affordable”. 2.6 Email Request to Age UK Age UK was asked by the Review Group to look over the evidence and research gathered and to submit any comments. The following is the response received:

14 “There is nothing to add. The report looks to be comprehensive”. 2.7 Email Request to Rory Stewart MP Rory Stewart MP was asked by the Review Group to look over the evidence and research gathered and to submit any comments. The Group was informed that Mr Stewart MP was currently lobbying Government on this topic and that he is also trying to get a Westminster Hall debate scheduled on Disabled Access in Railway Stations too. It was thought that the Groups‟ report would assist with his work around this topic. 3. Conclusions 3.1 It appears there are insufficient taxies outside of Penrith and its close surroundings for wheelchair users. 3.2 It is felt that there should be something to easily differentiate between hackney carriages and Private Hire vehicles, other than the small licensing plate. It was also concluded that it would be a good idea if the vehicles were a designated colour for easy identification. 3.3 The district appears to be fairly well served by community transport. Many villages are on the route of the Fellrunner albeit that may only be once per week. Many of the buses used on the routes throughout Eden are accessible. 3.4 There is a need to encourage more usage of the rural bus services as it is a „use it or lose it‟ situation. There is also a need to encourage more taxis that are accessible outwith Penrith and its immediate environs. 3.5 The Group understands that wheelchair accessible vehicles are expensive and the financial commitment involved in purchasing one is considerable particularly in the current economic climate and perhaps there is a need to lobby government regarding subsidies. 3.6 There is a lot of web based information but paper based information appears to be thin on the ground. The Group is aware that more people are using computers but there are still many people who do not have access to the internet and that paper based information is also needed. 3.7 Information is available on a number of web sites including the county council and EDC pages but the Group concluded that these should be investigated to see if it was worthwhile linking the pages for ease of access. 3.8 The county council put on driver/escort training charging (currently) £90 plus VAT. When it is completed the trainee is issued with a badge to indicate they are properly trained. The Group heard during their investigations that getting a place on the courses was difficult due to oversubscription. If this is correct the matter needs to be investigated. 3.9 The Group also heard that lifting and handling training was possibly going to be offered and this was thought to be a good idea.

15 3.10 The Group concluded that bus drivers should go through both driver and lifting and handling training before driving accessible vehicles. 3.11 The Group concluded that the Awareness training being used in Carlisle was a very useful tool and the Licensing Officer in EDC agreed it would be good practice to make any new driver and any existing driver aware of their legal obligations under the Disability and Equality Act 2010. 4. Recommendations 4.1. Consideration should be given to introducing compulsory Awareness training for taxi drivers licensed in Eden district before obtaining or renewing their licenses. 4.2 There is a lot of information to be found on various web sites regarding disabled access on public transport and taxis but consideration should be given to investigating whether there is merit in linking the information to simplify access for users. 4.3 To fulfil the remainder of the recommendations EDC will have to work in partnership with others. Consideration should be given to requesting the Eden Access Forum to take ownership of the information and recommendations in the scrutiny report and build up the working relationships with existing partners/stakeholders and to build new ones with a view to improving disabled access on public transport and taxis. 4.4 Consideration should be given to working with partners/stakeholders to ensure public and community transport drivers undertake training before driving any vehicle that offers disabled access. 4.5 Consideration should be given to working with partners to pursue improvements to disabled access at rail stations. 4.6 Hackney carriages and Private Hire Vehicles are owned by private sector businesses. Wheelchair accessible vehicles are expensive and the financial commitment involved in purchasing one is considerable, particularly in the current climate. Penrith and its immediate surroundings have vehicles available but there are very few vehicles offering a service in the wider Eden area. Consideration should be given to investigating whether this is a business opportunity worth advertising/highlighting. 4.7 Consideration should be given to working with partners to collate relevant information into leaflet form and distribute to locations of high usage such as doctor‟s surgeries, village shops and post offices, libraries, local links centres etc.

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