ACCESSIBLE TAXI FROM HEATHROW AIRPORT TO KENSINGTON

Spoonie_Turtle

Emmia said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Emmia said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

teddysmum said:

I can imagine a black cab accommodating a manual wheelchair or an electric one like mine, which folds, but what if the person's chair is one of the more substantial types ? 

It depends how tall the person is.  I know someone with OI who does fine in them, but she has a very short torso and I'm not sure how much taller someone could be using a typical powerchair and still fit.  I also know of someone very tall who has to specifically request a rear-access WAV and even then he barely fits in one of those, there's not much clearance between his head and the roof!

I wonder if OP's friends could use public transport - afaik Kensington doesn't have any nearby accessible tube stations but TfL can book an accessible taxi from the nearest accessible station (Earl's Court, maybe?) to the destination station.  When they did it for me it was a larger taxi; I don't think they knew I was ambulatory but even if they had, the four of us would have struggled to fit in a black cab with me out of my (non crash-tested) chair. 
I did actually look through my messages when this thread was first posted to see if I could find the name of the company they used, but alas no joy.

Actually OP, Heathrow to Earl's Court is a straight run on the Piccadilly line, then a taxi to High Street Kensington could do it.  Then they could take note of the company for use while they're here.

Earls Court isn't an accessible station (and the Piccadilly line takes FOREVER).  High St Kensington also isn't accessible...

Paddington is on the Elizabeth Line from Heathrow, is accessible with lifts, and is much faster - you can either then taxi or take the Circle and District line  from Paddington 

OP it's worth downloading the TFL Go app, which has a tube map showing the level of accessibility at the stations, unfortunately if you want flat access train to street, you will be limited in the stations that you can use.

TfL Go says Earl's Court is step-free with level boarding.  (And obviously High St. Ken isn't, which is why TfL would have to book a taxi for them.)  I didn't know about the relative speed of the Piccadilly line though.

[Where would they get to on the circle or district lines from Paddington?  Nearest accessible stations are King's Cross, Earl's Court, or Victoria, but those lines are only accessible northbound at Paddington according to the app.]

Agree with the app recommendation - it also shows in fairly real-time where lifts are out at stations that are usually accessible, line closures, etc.

The Piccadilly line is incredibly slow, frustratingly so in fact. The proximity of the hotel to stations wil be important - how far is it from tube station they might want to use?

Yes, true.  The OP said Kensington High Street, and High Street Kensington is right in the middle of the length of it; the same principle of getting a taxi applies to any inaccessible station, I just chose that one based on it being the nearest. 

But taking their own taxi from a nearish accessible station would of course mean they can be dropped off right by the hotel.  Bit more expensive, but a decent compromise between the original ask of taking a taxi all the way, and being taken to a station and having to walk the last stretch to get there.

Albermarle

Probably worth noting that the OP is not responding to all the helpful replies.