BEIRUT: In a city already viewed as inhospitable to disabled people, Beirut’s wheelchair users are facing the closure of the only taxi company that caters to their needs.
The London Taxi company, which is the sole provider in Lebanon of wheelchair-friendly taxis, is facing financial trouble that could force it to close down, sources in the company told The Daily Star Monday.
The company is suffering financial difficulties, affected by the current situation in the country as well as by their vehicles’ gas consumption, the sources said.
Another issue the company is having is that “people have an impression that our prices are more expensive than other taxi companies,” the sources added.
Although service prices are relatively similar to other cab companies in the country, the London Taxi’s vehicles consume twice the amount of gas of regular taxi cars.
The company caters to a number of hotels and companies, among them the Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union, given that the vehicles are equipped with a ramp suitable for electronic and manual wheelchair users.
The sources said the LPHU deals exclusively with London Taxi and could be severly affected by the possible closure of the company.
