Protect the Taxicard scheme
Taxicard: a lifeline for users
Added: 15 December 2010 | Updated: 22 March 2011
People have been contacting their councillors all over London to let them know they are making a huge mistake by making cuts to Taxicard.
These changes are not inevitable. Some councils, including Hillingdon, Tower Hamlets and Camden, have taken the decision to protect the scheme, and not pass on funding cuts to older and disabled transport users.
Others councils, however, have announced they are cutting the scheme, regardless of the impact on their older and disabled residents. Taxicard users are being asked to pay more, to travel less far.
Taxicard is a lifeline to many of us. It can enable people to stay active, participate in social clubs and community life, get to work, and see friends and family. For some, it’s the only way of avoiding being housebound.
Please take action now to protect Taxicard.
Write to your councillor and tell them about how these changes to Taxicard will affect your life. You can find their details here.
We’re also looking for people to raise this issue with their local newspapers. So if you are willing to speak to a reporter about how you are affected by these cuts, get in touch and we can link you up with a local journalist.
You might want to make the following points:
- Asking why there was no consultation with Taxicard members on these changes
- Point out that in some boroughs, such as Sutton, Camden and Hillingdon, councils have refused to make these cuts to Taxicard. Ask why this didn’t happen in (insert your borough name)
- Write how these changes will personally affect you. For example, do you use Taxicard to do your shopping, or see friends? Will you have to go out less; or stop going to some places?
- Ask what measures the council is putting in place to ensure that there are other accessible transport options in the borough – for example, renovating bus stops to ensure they are accessible; or ensuring adequate funding for Shopmobility or community transport schemes.
- Stay up to date with campaign actions and developments: email contactus@transportforall.org.uk to sign up for campaign updates to your inbox.
It’s vital that we come together to challenge these cuts. Letting your councillor know how their decision will restrict the mobility and wellbeing of disabled people will show them that disabled and older people are not a soft target. We need to make sure that there are no more cuts and by voicing opposition now we can do this!