Taxi Driver Online

This is messy. Visit the website to view the video - if that's the extent of the evidence then I think the driver is being treated harshly here. Political correctness obviously doesn't rule in Tunbridge Wells

A Tunbridge Wells taxi driver lost his licence after being filmed apparently hitting a blind Army veteran

https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-new ... st-2159702

The council has banned the driver over the encounter

A taxi driver has been stripped of his licence following complaints he tried to split a blind man from his guide dog - and then physically assaulted him.

Army veteran Alun Elder-Brown, 61, was at Tunbridge Wells station last Tuesday (October 23) having returned home from London with seven-year-old labrador Bonnie.


Alun Elder-Brown's guide dog, Bonnie, aged 7 (Image: Alun Elder-Brown/Kent Live)

“I approached the taxi rank and said, ‘taxi’. He obviously couldn’t see that I had a guide dog," he said.

“I tucked round the vehicle, round to the passenger door. It’s what guide dogs are trained to do. I opened the front door and started to push the chair back.

“Taxi drivers are instructed not to separate people from guide dogs.

“He said the dog should go in the back. I said no – I tried to sit down.

“He grabbed my arm and then by this point I was videoing. I videoed because I anticipated there was going to be trouble.

“He then hit me across the face and I sort of then went ‘why did you just hit me?' He said he would call the police. He then snatched my phone out of my hand.

“I tried to put it back on video but I cannot see very well and I just ended up taking lots of blurry photos."

Mr Elder-Brown, who has been the chairman of Tunbridge Wells Ukip but is no longer a member, said he then got out of the vehicle.

He added: “Another taxi driver behind started saying to leave me alone. At that point there was two or three drivers around me.

“I at no stage mentioned their race, religion creed or colour. But two maybe three other taxi drivers surrounded me and said they would call the police and accused me of racism.

“I never mentioned race or anything.

“If I was a racist I wouldn’t be getting in a Muslim car, would I?”

Mr Elder-Brown is partially sighted, with no vision in one eye and four-to-eight per cent vision in the other eye.

Legislation dictates assistance dogs can ride at their owner's feet.

A Tunbridge Well Borough Council spokesman said the authority had acted on the information it had been presented with.

She added: "Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has revoked a taxi driver’s licence following the investigation of a complaint received from a member of the public.

"The council was shown footage of the incident and considered that there were grounds to revoke the licence.

"The driver has the right to appeal to the magistrates within 21 days."

Pub incident

Mr Elder-Brown said it was the second time he had faced difficulties that day.

He said: "I was up in London for the Tommy Robinson trial.

“I was there supporting him.”

After the trial he went to a pub, and, he said, "just asked for a bowl of water for my guide dog". "They ejected me for supporting Tommy Robinson,” he said, although he added he did nothing but ask for the bowl of water.

"The police escorted me off,” he said.

Mr Elder-Brown is an Army veteran who stood for the UK Independence Party as this year's council's election. He recently caused controversy by calling for a statue of Nelson Mandela to be replaced with one of Tommy Robinson.


Alun Elder-Brown, 61, with Tommy Robinson, on October 23, hours before the incident in Tunbridge Wells. He said he took of his beret and medals before arriving back in Tunbridge Wells (Image: Kent Live)

What does footage show?

The film begins with Mr Elder-Brown getting into the cab.

He says: "No, she goes in the front."

The driver responds: "No, no. Of course not."

Mr Elder-Brown then appears to be moving his seat back to make space for Bonnie.

The driver then says: "You cannot be pushing. No you cannot be doing that."

The video then appears to show the driver's hand move towards Mr Elder-Brown as if to strike him.

Mr Elder-Brown then says: "Don't you dare. You've just hit me."

The camera is pointed away from the altercation but the driver then says: "You touch me - I will call the police."

Mr Elder-Brown says "You call the...you've just hit me and I've got it on live stream."

The driver responds: "What are you talking about?"

The footage then comes to an end with the camera pointing to the floor.

A year or so ago I had a chat with a fella from one of the blind charities.

He said to me, in respect of the law, it doesn't matter where the dog sits as long as he travels in the same motor as the person.

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IDFIMH