Should accessible vehicle grants use lotteries
Should wheelchair-accessible vehicles be allocated by lottery?
The NTA’s 2026 Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Grant Scheme reopened applications for one week, with successful applicants selected by random lottery. More accessible taxis are badly needed, but a lottery treats vehicle availability like a prize rather than a public transport gap. What happens to wheelchair users in areas where demand is already unmet? Funding targets should follow actual journeys, waiting times, and regional coverage, not luck.