The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) welcomes today’s release by the Federal Government of the 2007 Review of Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport.
Earlier this year, PIAC acted on behalf of wheelchair user Greg Killeen in his disabiity discrimination claim against Transport NSW and two large taxi companies.
The complaint alleged Transport NSW and the taxi companies had breached national Disability Standards because many supposedly wheelchair accessible taxis were too small to be used.
After a long battle, Mr Killeen and PIAC withdrew the claim following a change in Transport NSW rules.
PIAC Solicitor Gemma Namey said the new rules that come into effect in NSW from 1 October 2011 mean only genuinely accessible taxis in NSW will be licensed for wheelchair passengers.
She said the Federal Government review released today supports PIAC’s recommendation that the space inside a wheelchair accessible taxi be measured in three dimensions, that is, in height, width and depth.