Plea for police policy to change as Edinburgh taxi day out for children with complex needs cancelled

Edinburgh’s annual taxi outing – a day out for children with complex needs – is facing cancellation after a police policy change has left officers unable to escort the cabs.

A staple of the calendar for almost 80 years, taxi drivers decorate their vehicles and head to East Lothian for a day full of ice cream, fun and – hopefully – sunshine.

But now, two weeks before this year’s event on June 9, committee secretary Keith Bell said that organisers of the event had “no option” but to cancel.

This is due to a policy change from the National Police Chiefs’ Council.

Officers offered to support the event in a few key places, but Mr Bell said the taxis would need to sit in general traffic for the rest of the route, stopping at red lights, junctions, and in general congestion within Edinburgh.

“There is further investigation that needs to be taken to find out exactly what’s going on, as it stands, Police Scotland expects the convoy of about 70 taxis to make its way through the normal Edinburgh traffic, which is just a non-starter,” he said.

Keith Bell is the secretary for the outing STV News

“Given safety as the number one priority for the children, we’ve decided to cancel the event at this time, because I can’t risk any harm, undue anxiety or stress for the children.”

Keith said the taxi outing is not only for the children, but it also allows parents and carers a “day to relax and feel comfortable”.

“Everyone thinks it’s a day out for the children, but it’s actually a day off for the parents,” Mr Bell added.

“Although society has come a long way in treating people with disabilities better than they used to, there is still a stigma attached. A parent who has a child who has a meltdown in a supermarket aisle, you will have people looking, you will have people tutting, commenting.

“While on the outing, if a kid has a meltdown, nobody cares. You just step over them and carry on working, and the parents can then relax. It just gives them that ability to feel comfortable.”

‘You can’t just take it away’

Alana Wilson’s nine-year-old son, George, who has non-verbal autism, ADHD, and complex learning disabilities, has been going to the outing for years.

“He’s full of life, full of energy,” Alana said. “Loves anything to do with play. The taxi outing is the perfect combination for him. He loves anything he can travel in. He would quite happily stay there all day.

“As parents, it’s a day, the one day a year, where your child feels so included in anything, they can be themselves, there is 100% no judgement.

Alana is hoping that the event can go ahead as planned STV News

“And it is a day that is just focused on the effort they have made to raise all the funds; everything is purely for our kids to have one amazing day.

“They are absolutely knackered by the end of it.

“When you go and actually see just how much the kids enjoy it and the parents, and just how much joy that one day brings to your kids, it’s just absolutely unbelievable.”

A similar outing held in Glasgow is set to go ahead this year – due to a route change forced by roadworks.

But there’s now uncertainty regarding next year’s 80th anniversary celebrations, with cabbies, parents and children across the M8 all hoping for a U-turn.

“I think if anybody has got it in their heart, if there is anything you can do to change it, change it. It’s not even a whole day; it’s a few hours”, Alana added.

“We’re not asking for much, we’re asking for our kids to continue to have this. It’s been going for years. It’s something that’s been here in Edinburgh, you can’t just take that away.”

Edinburgh Council leader Jane Meagher says she hopes a solution can be found.

She said: “The Annual Children’s Taxi Drivers’ Outing has been a much-loved fixture in the city’s calendar since the 1940s, providing a fun and memorable day out for some of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable children. I really hope a solution can be found to allow the event to go ahead as planned this year.”

Police Scotland said it is committed to doing what it can to make sure the event goes ahead.

Chief Inspector Craig Rogerson said: “We continue to engage with the event organisers to provide clarity on the operational considerations associated with the event and how we can work with them to facilitate it.

“We are committed to doing what we can to ensure this event goes ahead and working with our key partners, we will look to arrange a further meeting with the organisers.

“Hopefully this meeting will allow us to explore alternative options and agree a way to move forward with what is a valued community event.”