Coventry taxi driver fined for refusing to take passenger with a guide dogRaja Shaukat Ali was ordered to pay more than £600 in fines, costs and victim surchargeA taxi driver who refused to take a booking from a passenger with a guide dog has been fined.
The incident was witnessed by another driver who reported it to Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council.
The authority took the driver - described as a “local taxi operator” - to court for discrimination after stopping a man from having a taxi journey because he had a guide dog with him, reports the Nuneaton News.
As a result the driver, Raja Shaukat Ali from Coventry, was prosecuted under the Equality Act 2010 and, at Leamington Spa Magistrates on May 31, he was found guilty.
He was ordered to pay more than £600 in fines, costs and victim surcharge.
Councillor Gwynne Pomfrett said the local authority will not tolerate such behaviour, saying: “Discrimination of this sort is completely unacceptable and incidents like this cause great distress to individuals.
“I hope that the council’s firm action and the financial penalties imposed by the court will deter any future occurrences.
“We will not hesitate to take action against any such discrimination again in the future. It’s important that our licensed taxis and private hire vehicles are accessible to everyone.”
Under the law, private hire operators, private hire drivers and taxi drivers cannot refuse to carry assistance dogs, nor charge extra for the journey.
Doing so is a criminal offence, and can be punished with fines of up to £1,000.
Drivers with genuine and serious medical conditions affected by dogs can apply to the council for a medical exemption certificate, but will only be exempted from the legal duty to carry assistance dogs if the certificate is on display in the vehicle.
source:
http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/c ... g-13292861
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