On Tuesday 10 November 2026, Freenow by Lyft published survey research on wheelchair users, and people who know them, who turn to black cabs when public transport fails. Zag Daily carried the same account that day.
Censuswide conducted the survey in October 2026. It covered 1,000 UK respondents aged 16 and over. Each person either uses a wheelchair or has a family member, someone they care for, or someone they know who does. At least 250 respondents were aged 16 to 25. The figures that follow are the survey's, not an official count.
When public transport fails
Black cabs are fully wheelchair accessible, and the survey measured how often people use them after a journey breaks down. Among young people aged 16 to 24, 40 per cent had turned to a black cab because of a physical failure, such as an out-of-service lift, a broken ramp or an unreliable step-free connection. Overcrowding that blocked a designated wheelchair bay on a bus or train had pushed 37 per cent of respondents to a black cab. For 23 per cent, a black cab was the main alternative when public transport fails.
App access to a black cab was important to 90 per cent of respondents. For 52 per cent, that access was very important to maintaining everyday independence.
Missed journeys
Transport barriers had caused 49 per cent of those 16 to 24-year-olds to miss or cancel plans. In the same age group, 26 per cent reported an effect on getting to work, school, university or an interview. Across all respondents, 26 per cent had missed a vital healthcare appointment. Unexpected accessibility problems regularly disrupted travel for 55 per cent of the young people and for 51 per cent of respondents overall, affecting day trips and holidays for 33 per cent and visits to friends and family for 30 per cent. Among respondents aged 55 and over, 45 per cent reported that ongoing barriers had left them lacking confidence to travel independently.
London's accessible fleet
Freenow is encouraging Transport for London and the Mayor of London to explore financial support that could protect the capital's fully accessible black cab fleet, while the trade keeps working towards shared environmental targets. Vehicle supply is under severe pressure, and the high purchase price of zero-emission capable taxis is accelerating the decline.
Drivers and Whizz Kidz
A partnership with Whizz Kidz, the UK's leading charity for young wheelchair users, covers accessibility training for black cab drivers and fundraising. A black cab carrying both names is working on London's streets. Passengers can round a fare up in the app, with the money put towards mobility equipment, specialist services and accessibility advocacy.
From the general manager
Danny O'Gorman, UKI general manager at Freenow by Lyft, gave this account. "Behind these numbers are young people missing out on job interviews, education, and simply meeting friends because the public transport network has let them down. As the platform with the largest fleet of black cabs, we know that these vehicles offer a vital lifeline when other options fail, but wider change is long overdue. Through our work with Whizz Kidz, from disability training for drivers to passenger fundraising, we are determined to help break down these barriers and make travel genuinely inclusive."
What accessible transport is for
Samantha Renke, an actress, presenter and disability activist, described accessible transport. "Accessible transport is about more than getting from A to B. It means having the freedom to make plans, pursue opportunities and take part in everyday life without worrying about whether you will be able to get there. We need to keep raising awareness of the barriers wheelchair users face and work towards a transport system that gives everyone greater confidence and independence."