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Picture the scene, busy weekend night, ranks heaving with people stood at taxi rank with bad light [ low powered fluorescent street lamps]
taxi, van conversion WA type pulls up, women opens door and says "do we have to get in this one", the drivers says "get in one behind" the door slams and the taxi driver finishes his words but the woman has gone "if you don't want to get in this one"
6 weeks later a complaint is received at the council, re the above driver refusing a wheelchair, after 6 months of investigation by the Council the driver was hauled up in front of the Enforcement
The letter of complaint came from a blind and disable person, who also couldn't walk stated that she was refused a taxi, she states the driver got out of his cab, walked round to the taxi rank and had a discussion with the said said person [this is a busy saturday night remember, rank full of hooks and crooks etc etc]
this letter was backed up by the wheelchair person's sister who saw it all happen, it was the sister of the wheelchair occupant who came to the cab door in the first place.
The Council was told that the wheelchair and occupant was well away from the rank, hiding because they had been refused on many occassions
The letter said that the wheelchair user noted down the vehicle make, plate No, badge No and decription of vehicle, thats fine, but the person is blind
The driver told the Council he had never seen the woman in question, and never saw a wheelchair, and the woman never came anywhere near his cab
It seemed clear that the Council thought the driver guilty because a member of the public complained, but without further evidence, they told him the matter would be filed, and your free to go, no further action
It was mentioned that the matter would be brought up at a meeting today with the taxi assocciation, the driver told the Enforcement, well I will be stood there with a solicitor
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