Posted on the 5th November 2025 in PHTM News

TRAINING GAP EXPOSED AFTER CHORLEY CABBIE SUSPENDED OVER ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR NEAR-MISS

A taxi boss is urging Chorley Council to close a “very dangerous training gap” concerning electric wheelchairs after a local driver was suspended following a serious near-miss incident.

The driver, who works for Four Sixes taxi company, was suspended after a passenger's electric wheelchair fell backwards while attempting to ascend a ramp into the taxi. The driver was present and managed to intervene, narrowly avoiding serious injury to the passenger.

Shaz Malik, owner of Four Sixes, founder of the Chorley Taxi Association, and a board member of the National Private Hire and Taxi Association (NPHTA), represented the driver at the licensing hearing on October 22. While he deemed the suspension decision “a fair and balanced decision after consideration of all the evidence,” Mr. Malik heavily criticised the lack of specific training provided by the council for electric wheelchairs.

"This incident has exposed a serious gap in policy and training," Mr. Malik stated. "Drivers currently receive guidance on transporting manual wheelchairs, but there is no specific training on safely loading and securing electric wheelchairs and what vehicle type of vehicle can take electric wheelchairs. This is a critical omission that must be addressed as a matter of urgency.”

He warned that electric chairs with a user can weigh up to 200kg and “pose a huge risk to anyone trying to hold them,”calling it a “national safety issue.”

In response, Chorley Council placed the burden of seeking additional training on the drivers themselves.

Councillor Alex Hilton stated: “The council accredits three providers of wheelchair training, and it is our policy that any person who drives a wheelchair accessible vehicle must complete appropriate training... While it is not achievable to train every driver on every individual wheelchair model, the accredited training covers essential principles such as ensuring no wheelchair is ever left unsecured within a vehicle.”

Councillor Hilton stressed that they “expect all drivers to take personal responsibility for maintaining safe and inclusive practices. Where additional training is needed to meet these standards, it is compulsory on the driver to seek it out. This is not optional, it’s part of delivering a safe and respectful service to our residents.”

Following the hearing, the NPHTA took immediate action. David Lawrie, Director of the NPHTA, contacted Diamond Driver training, which among other courses, provides the national wheelchair training programme, to ensure they incorporate electric wheelchair transport into their training modules. He also raised the issue directly with various other national stakeholders as part of the current scheme, urging them to update and improve disability transport within all public transport services.

Mr. Malik also reminded customers that under Section 165 of the Equality Act 2010, drivers cannot charge extra for helping a wheelchair user into or out of a vehicle, or for securing the wheelchair, noting that "The meter should only start after the wheelchair is safely secured."


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