In November 2023, SCIA Wheelchair Book and Ride service attended a NSW Taxi Industry event which included other members of the Disability Reference Group, along with other stakeholders in the industry to discuss about accessible transport within the NSW Metro Region.
The role Wheelchair Book and Ride plays in this space is vital since we are the only authorised Centralised Booking Service for wheelchair taxis in Sydney Metro and our service is operated on behalf of TfNSW. The Round Table was an opportunity for all stakeholders come together and discuss solutions for improvement of the transportation for our community that rely on Wheelchair Accessible Transport, in particular Wheelchair Taxi Services.
On the 11th June 2024, SCIA’s Wheelchair Book and Ride as part of the Disability Reference Group, chaired by Nick Abrahim from the NSW Taxi Council, had a meeting with three Ministers within the NSW Government who are responsible for Disability and Transport Services – The Hon. Jo Haylen MP, The Hon. Jenny Aitchinson MP and The Hon. Kate Washington MP were all in attendance.
The meeting included a robust and transparent discussion around the urgent support required to help improve Transport Access for passengers using a wheelchair. We look forward to forward to the final Roundtable scheduled for the Western Region in Orange for early July, and the ways forward following the consultation.