Newham Council make cuts to Taxicard service

Newham Council has reduced subsidised journeys for disabled and elderly people following a public consultation.

Residents who use the Taxicard scheme - a door-to-door cab service - will have their anunal journeys reduced over the next two years by 72 per cent.

Currently, Taxicard provides 522 single rides per year for Newham passengers but that will be cut to 312 in April, then to 144 the following year.

Newham Council say that a cap on funding by Transport for London has forced the decision and a public consultation on the issue ended on October 31.

Age UK East London called the reduction “a damaging and regrettable limitation on older and disabled people’s mobility” and Action and Rights for Disabled People in Newham, who co-ordinate the Newham Transport Action Group, hoped for a compromise to keep the reduction at 312 trips.

A Newham Council spokesman said: “Newham’s current limit is more than four times higher than any other London borough - 144 journeys will still be the highest in London.

“Following representations from the Newham Transport Action Group, Eye 2 Eye and others, the council will be taking up significant issues raised by existing Taxicard users with TfL and the local NHS.”