Grant Scheme Opened for Wheelchair Accessible Taxis

Davy

http://www.nationaltransport.ie/taxi-and-bus-licensing/grant-scheme-opened-for-wheelchair-accessible-taxis-wavs/

01/07/14

The Authority has now opened a new €1 million grant scheme to support the wider availability of Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAVs) in Ireland’s taxi fleet. The scheme will offer grants, nationwide, of up to €10,000 for the purchase or conversion of a new WAV – and a sliding scale, with lesser monies being available for older cars. Cars older than 6 years will not qualify for grant support under this scheme.

Details for those interested will be provided on our website www.nationaltransport.ie

For more information see the press release – Grant Scheme Announced for Wheelchair Accessible Taxis.pdf

There are currently some 860 licenced WAVs operating in Ireland. Assuming an average grant of €5,000 through this scheme – facilitating the addition of a further 200 accessible vehicles – the number of Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles will increase by almost a quarter to deliver a total fleet of 1060 cars and we have made the purchase of such taxis significantly more affordable,”, he said.

AlekSmart

Another smoke and mirrors act I suspect...

No mention of how the NTA's current policies and stewardship of the Taxi industry saw the Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Fleet FALL from 1,600 vehicles in 2008 to 898 in 2013,approximately 42% of a Decline...now there's a Successful Strategy for ye...definitely the stuff of Bonus Payments

This latest stimulus package appears very Knee-Jerky,particularly with it's "Sliding-Scale" for second hand stuff.....good job they're not doing the same for Buses or the Private's would have to scrap all the RV's !:D

Losty Dublin

Alek, the simple reason why there are a dwingling amout of them is because of the gargantuan costs in buying and running what are generally glorified vans. Unlike registered disabled drivers, taxi drivers don't benefit from any tax relief schemes on the purchase of these large PSV vehicles. If the NTA want to make a genuine effort at putting more wheelchar assessible taxi's on the road then they need to look at an arrangement whereby a taxi plate owner can write off or be absolved of some of the VRT and/or VAT on these vehicles as well as the grant for retro fitting of ramps, seating etc. Even with the WAC plate being a pittance price, the motors themselves are silly money and for the few gains offered.

Take a VW Caravelle type; it's €46,000-€65,000 when a diesel Passat or Polo come in at €26,000. A Hyundai Montana is €39,000 yet a Hyundai i30 Cruiser just €22,300 and and an i40 just under €26,000. And this is before running costs, fitting, passenger comfort, ease of driving of any of these vehicles come into account, let alone finding credit terms or finance for such a vehicle. Even the Fiat Scudo of old, the bone shaker that it was, entered the market at €19,000 as a 1.4 petrol engined car without even powered steering. By the time you added on basics you take for granted such as a diesel engine, power steering, electric mirros, air con, ABS, electric windows and a radio (I kid you not.) to raise it to an acceptable standard it was close to the €30,000 mark. When they do come on the market, the adapted vehicles are either not much cheaper when bought pre owned due to their rarity, in need or further retro fitting or beaten up and next to useless through long working lifes

The NTA either want wheelchair taxi's on the road or they don't. If they do then it's time to make an effort and help the market providers with the vehicles.

AlekSmart

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Alek, the simple reason why there are a dwingling amout of them is because of the gargantuan costs in buying and running what are generally glorified vans. Unlike registered disabled drivers, taxi drivers don't benefit from any tax relief schemes on the purchase of these large PSV vehicles. If the NTA want to make a genuine effort at putting more wheelchar assessible taxi's on the road then they need to look at an arrangement whereby a taxi plate owner can write off or be absolved of some of the VRT and/or VAT on these vehicles as well as the grant for retro fitting of ramps, seating etc. Even with the WAC plate being a pittance price, the motors themselves are silly money and for the few gains offered.

Take a VW Caravelle type; it's €46,000-€65,000 when a diesel Passat or Polo come in at €26,000. A Hyundai Montana is €39,000 yet a Hyundai i30 Cruiser just €22,300 and and an i40 just under €26,000. And this is before running costs, fitting, passenger comfort, ease of driving of any of these vehicles come into account, let alone finding credit terms or finance for such a vehicle. Even the Fiat Scudo of old, the bone shaker that it was, entered the market at €19,000 as a 1.4 petrol engined car without even powered steering. By the time you added on basics you take for granted such as a diesel engine, power steering, electric mirros, air con, ABS, electric windows and a radio (I kid you not.) to raise it to an acceptable standard it was close to the €30,000 mark. When they do come on the market, the adapted vehicles are either not much cheaper when bought pre owned due to their rarity, in need or further retro fitting or beaten up and next to useless through long working lifes

The NTA either want wheelchair taxi's on the road or they don't. If they do then it's time to make an effort and help the market providers with the vehicles.

Sound arguement,and one which is likely to resurface on the far larger issue of Hybrid Buses in the near future...

However,it is still a valid question as to what led to over 40% of the WAC fleet disappearing in under 5 years...certainly the anecdotal evidence points to a somewhat more basic issue re operational profitability when compared to your "standard" cab..?

The NTA may be watching this with a beady eye,as they tot up the somewhat eye-watering added costs of running a Hybrid Bus fleet which is largely coming from London's large scale love-affair with the type.

Each hybrid bus in most UK operations recieves c.£Stg 70-80,000 direct grand funding under the UK's "Green Bus" initiative.

Just as with the Wheelchair Accessible Cabs,the associated EXTRA costs of meeting the rapidly expanding needs of compliance with the ever expanding "Socially Necessary" elements have to be met by somebody....the ever present question in Ireland is WHO Pays ?

Mrs OBumble

AlekSmart wrote: »

However,it is still a valid question as to what led to over 40% of the WAC fleet disappearing in under 5 years

Supply-side anaylsis is very sweet - but is there evidence that people who need WACs cannot access them? I seem to see one or more vans sitting in Eyre Square doing nothing most times i go by - not sure if they're WA or not.

Spook_ie

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Supply-side anaylsis is very sweet - but is there evidence that people who need WACs cannot access them? I seem to see one or more vans sitting in Eyre Square doing nothing most times i go by - not sure if they're WA or not.

Check the roof sign if it doesn't have the wheelchair symbol then it's just a multi seat taxi not a WAT