ALMOST nine in 10 taxis and private hire vehicles in Somerset cannot be used by people in wheelchairs, figures reveal.

With just one in seven vehicles across England and Wales suitably equipped, disability charity Scope said everyday inequality is rife – even for the nation's returning Paralympic heroes.

Department for Transport figures show 815 vehicles were licensed to operate in Somerset at the end of March – but just 109 (13%) could be used by those in wheelchairs.

Of the 533 traditional taxis which can be hailed from the street, only 90 (17%) were wheelchair accessible.

And just 19 (7%) of the area's 282 private hire vehicles, which need to be pre-booked, offered the same service.

In Sedgemoor, the figures are much better, with out of 131 vehicles licensed to operate in Sedgemoor at the end of March, 57 (44%) could be used by those in wheelchairs.

Of the 105 traditional taxis which can be hailed from the street, 48 (46%) were wheelchair accessible.

But just nine of the area's 26 private hire vehicles, which need to be pre-booked, offered the same service.

Across England, just 2% of private hire vehicles, such as those available through Uber, can fit a wheelchair in them.

Though the proportion of taxis or hackney carriages which can do the same is much higher, it fell from 57% to 54% over the last year.

All traditional taxis are wheelchair accessible in London and some other parts of the country, but other areas have none at all.

Scope said four-fifths of disabled people feel anxious on public transport – with the coronavirus pandemic only exacerbating this – leaving many reliant on taxis and PHVs.

Tom Marsland, policy manager for consumer affairs at the charity, said: "When these aren't accessible disabled people are robbed of their independence.

"Consistent regulation and enforcement across all transport authorities in England and Wales would help hold drivers and taxi organisations accountable for their accessibility, and improve disabled people's trust in the system."