Wheelchair Accessible Taxi London — Book a WAV at No Extra Cost

Are All London Taxis Wheelchair Accessible?

Black cabs: yes. Transport for London designates every licensed London taxi as wheelchair accessible, so any black cab you hail in the street or take from a rank should be able to carry you in your wheelchair, using a ramp and proper restraints.

Minicabs are a different matter. A private hire vehicle is only a WAV if it has been built or adapted as one, and TfL keeps a published list of the ones that qualify. Most minicabs on the road are ordinary saloons. That is the single most useful thing to know when booking: a WAV will only turn up if you ask for one.

This is why pre-booking matters more for wheelchair users than for anyone else. A hailed black cab is accessible by default; a private hire car is accessible only if the operator has assigned the right vehicle to your job.

Your Rights: What the Law Actually Says

The Equality Act 2010 is unusually specific about taxis, and it is worth knowing exactly where you stand.

• No extra charge, ever. A driver of a designated wheelchair accessible vehicle must not charge a wheelchair user more than any other passenger. Doing so is a criminal offence.
• They must carry you. Under section 165, the driver must carry you while you are in your wheelchair, help you into and out of the vehicle, position and secure the chair, carry you safely and in reasonable comfort, and load your luggage.
• They must help. If you would rather transfer to a passenger seat, the driver must assist you and carry the wheelchair.
• Operators cannot refuse the booking. Since the Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022, it is an offence for a private hire operator to refuse a booking because the passenger is disabled — not just the driver.
• Exemptions are medical only. A driver can be exempted from the physical assistance duties on medical grounds, but must display the exemption notice in the vehicle. There is no other lawful reason to refuse.

Breaches carry fines of up to £1,000, and Transport for London can review a driver’s licence. If a driver has ever refused you, that was not a grey area — it was against the law.

Booking a Wheelchair Accessible Airport Transfer

An airport run is exactly the journey where turning up and hoping is the worst plan. A pre-booked WAV means the right vehicle, with a working ramp and restraints, is assigned to your job before the day.

We ask for a little detail at booking, not to complicate things, but because it is what lets us send the correct vehicle first time:

• Will you stay in your wheelchair, or transfer to a seat? Both are fine; they need different things from the vehicle.
• Manual or powered chair, and roughly what size and weight? Powered chairs are heavier and need more room.
• How many people are travelling, and how much luggage? So we send a vehicle with space for everyone — for a larger party, a minibus with a driver may suit better.
• Are you travelling with an assistance dog? Always welcome, but we note it on the job.

Fixed Fares — the Same Price as a Standard Car

These are indicative fixed fares from central London. They are identical to our standard fares. That is not generosity on our part — charging a wheelchair user more is illegal — but it is worth stating plainly, because the worry that accessible travel costs extra puts people off booking at all.

Your exact price is confirmed at booking and depends on the pickup address. Every fare is fixed before you travel, with no meter and no surge, and includes flight tracking and meet‑and‑greet inside arrivals on the return leg. For the busiest route, see our full Heathrow taxi price guide.

Assistance Dogs

Drivers must carry assistance dogs and let them stay with you, at no extra charge. Refusing is an offence carrying a fine of up to £1,000, and the only exemption is medical — a serious allergy, for instance — which must be evidenced and displayed as a notice in the vehicle.

Not every assistance dog is a guide dog, and not every disability is visible. A driver is not entitled to interrogate you about either. Tell us at booking and the job is flagged, so nobody is having that conversation on the pavement at 5am.

Mobility Scooters — the Honest Position

Here we will not promise what we cannot deliver. Mobility scooters vary enormously in size and weight, and not every scooter can be carried safely in every vehicle. The law recognises this: a driver may decline where carriage would not be safe or reasonable.

So tell us the make and model when you book. We will give you a straight answer about whether we can take it, and in which vehicle — and if we cannot, we will say so then, rather than leave you stranded at the kerb on the day. An honest no in advance is worth more than a hopeful yes.

Special Assistance at the Airport Is Separate

One thing catches people out, so it is worth being clear: your driver cannot book your airport assistance. Special Assistance at UK airports is free, but it is arranged through your airline or travel agent, ideally at least 48 hours before you fly.

What we do is the door-to-terminal half. The driver takes you to the right terminal entrance and helps with luggage — you can check the Gatwick taxi cost the same way. On the way home we track your flight and meet you inside arrivals, so the handover from the airport’s assistance team to your car happens in one place rather than out on a concourse.

Black Cab or Pre‑Booked WAV — Which Is Better?

For a short hop across town, a black cab is hard to beat: every one is accessible, and you can simply hail it. No booking, no wait.

For an airport transfer, a pre‑booked WAV is the stronger choice — not because the black cab is worse, but because the job is different. You get a fixed price agreed in advance rather than a meter running through traffic, a named driver assigned to you, flight tracking on the return, and the certainty that an accessible vehicle is coming to your door at the hour you chose. On a 5am departure with luggage, that certainty is the whole point.

You can sanity‑check what a metered journey would cost against current London black cab and minicab rates, or work out a London taxi fare for a specific leg, before you decide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all London taxis wheelchair accessible?

Every licensed London black cab is wheelchair accessible. Transport for London designates all of them as wheelchair accessible by default, so any black cab you hail or take from a rank should carry you in your wheelchair. Minicabs (private hire vehicles) are different: only some are wheelchair accessible vehicles, and TfL keeps a list of the ones that are. That is why a WAV has to be requested when you book a private hire car.

Can a taxi charge me extra for using a wheelchair?

No. Under the Equality Act 2010, a driver of a designated wheelchair accessible taxi or private hire vehicle must not charge a wheelchair user more than any other passenger. The same applies to carrying your wheelchair if you prefer to transfer to a seat. Charging extra is a criminal offence, punishable by a fine of up to £1,000. Our wheelchair accessible transfers are priced exactly the same as a standard car — the fare is fixed at booking.

How do I book a wheelchair accessible taxi in London?

Book in advance and say that you need a wheelchair accessible vehicle. Because private hire cars must be pre-booked and only some are WAVs, telling us at the point of booking is what guarantees the right vehicle with a ramp and wheelchair restraints is assigned to you. It also helps to tell us whether you will stay in your wheelchair or transfer to a seat, and roughly how big and heavy the chair is.

What is a driver legally required to do for a wheelchair user?

Under section 165 of the Equality Act 2010, the driver of a designated wheelchair accessible vehicle must carry you while you are in your wheelchair, help you into and out of the vehicle using the ramp, make sure the wheelchair is properly positioned and secured, carry you safely and in reasonable comfort, load your luggage, and do all of it at no extra charge. If you would rather sit in a passenger seat, the driver must carry your wheelchair and help you transfer.

Can a driver refuse to take me because I use a wheelchair?

Not lawfully. Refusing to carry a wheelchair user in a designated vehicle is a criminal offence, and since the Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022 it is also an offence for a private hire operator to refuse a booking because the passenger is disabled. The only exemptions are medical, granted by the licensing authority, and an exempt driver must display the exemption notice in the vehicle.

Can I bring my assistance dog?

Yes, and the law is firm on it. Taxi and private hire drivers must carry assistance dogs and allow them to stay with their owner, at no extra charge. Refusing is an offence carrying a fine of up to £1,000. Exemptions are medical only — for example a serious dog allergy — and the driver must display the exemption notice. Tell us at booking that you are travelling with an assistance dog and we will note it on the job.

Can you carry a mobility scooter?

Sometimes, but we will not promise it blind. Mobility scooters vary enormously in size and weight, and not every scooter can be carried safely in every vehicle — the law recognises this, and a driver may decline if carriage would not be safe. Tell us the make and model when you book and we will tell you honestly whether we can take it, and in which vehicle. If we cannot, we will say so rather than leave you stranded on the day.

Do I still need to arrange assistance at the airport?

Yes — that is separate from your taxi. Airports provide free Special Assistance, but it is arranged through your airline or travel agent, ideally at least 48 hours before you fly. Your driver will take you to the terminal and can help with luggage, but they cannot book airport assistance for you. On the return leg we track your flight and meet you inside arrivals, so the handover from airport assistance to your car is straightforward.

Summary: Booking a Wheelchair Accessible Taxi in London

Every licensed London black cab is a wheelchair accessible vehicle — you can hail one. Minicabs are not, so a WAV has to be requested at booking, which is exactly what pre-booking is for.

By law you cannot be charged extra, a driver cannot refuse you, an operator cannot refuse your booking, and your assistance dog travels free. Our fixed‑fare WAV airport transfers cost the same as a standard car — London City from £40, Heathrow from £55 — with flight tracking, meet‑and‑greet on the return leg, and a driver who knows before they set off what vehicle you need. Mobility scooters we will assess honestly at booking, and airport Special Assistance you arrange with your airline about 48 hours ahead.

Whether you are flying from Heathrow, Gatwick or any London airport, pre-book your wheelchair accessible airport taxi online now, or message us on WhatsApp and we will confirm the vehicle before you travel.