fills you with pride that in this day and age we have to read and watch this don't it

Refusals can lead to a driver having their licence removed and fines up of to £1000 pounds. But a report by the Guide Dog charity shows prosecutions are rare and some local authorities are fining as little as £50 pounds.

Do local authorities have powers to fine drivers or is it just the courts?

‘I’ve got a guide dog, taxi drivers won’t take me’



A BLIND man says taxi drivers regularly refuse to give him a ride – because he has a guide dog.

David Stewart has been left frustrated by drivers who have rejected his fare once they realise he has a dog with him.

The 47-year-old has joined a campaign to lobby Parliament to dish out

harsher penalties to those who turn away passengers.

David, from Lewisham said: “On several occasions I’ve been refused access to taxis and private hire cabs.

“When I phoned and made a booking I’ve been told they don’t carry guide dogs.

“I also have had a taxi turn up for me and then refuse to take me when they’ve realised I’ve got a guide dog.

“It makes me feel disheartened and frustrated.”

The Guide Dogs Charity are campaigning for harsher punishments and more

convictions for drivers who do not allow passengers with guide dogs to use their service. More than 100 guide dog owners visited Parliament on Tuesday.

The charity say they are angry that the fines imposed for drivers are no higher than those who dodge train fares or evade TV licences.

James White, senior campaigns manager at Guide Dogs, said: “Imagine you were turned away by a driver.

“This happens to people living with sight loss with shocking regularity just because they are accompanied by a guide dog.

“It’s not only illegal, it knocks people’s confidence and stops them doing the everyday things that most people take for granted.

“Licencing authorities and magistrates aren’t effectively using the powers they have to prosecute taxi and minicab drivers who flout the law.”

source: http://www.southlondon-today.co.uk/arti ... ?id=118205

These drivers who refuse assistance dogs want outing from the trade, I don't care who it is enough is enough. It's discrimination nothing else, take their badges off them and get them out of the trade.

But it's not just the drivers it is companies refusing to accept bookings as well

Do local authorities have powers to fine drivers or is it just the courts?

But it's not just the drivers it is companies refusing to accept bookings as well

"all we want is to have our rights and to be treated like everyone else"

so what would happen if the dog got the cabbies seat / carpet covered in dog hairs then? do we just say "well the fare is a tenner mate , but your dog has covered my carpet in hairs so im off to the garage now to hoover it out, so its now 20 quid, cost of hoover/loss of earnings," that's what we do people without disabilities & you want to be equal, why do people think guide dogs don't slaver/pant/drool/shed hair/ get wet & stink?? they are dogs after all

£1 hoover at Asda 4 minutes job done. You really shouldn't be in the trade.