Taxi Driver Online

Not sure what this is all about. Not really my domain, but I think the WAV list has something to do with the Equality Act?

But I didn't think the criminal offence angle was dependent on actually having a WAV list.

Maybe the list just makes it easier to criminalise refusals, but perhaps it's been misreported here as actually creating the offence?


Move to make it a criminal offence for Highland taxi drivers to refuse disabled passengers

https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/new ... rs-189785/

Highland councillors have moved a step closer to making it a criminal offence for taxi drivers to refuse a fare from someone in a wheelchair.

Highland Council’s licensing committee supported the idea of creating a list of all wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs).

The move would affect all vehicles licensed as either taxis or private hire cars across the region.

Should any driver with a WAV on the list subsequently refuse a fare from a disabled person, they could be charged with a criminal offence.

The plan will now go out to public consultation.

The chairman of the licensing committee, Councillor Andrew Jarvie, who is himsef a wheelchair user, strongly welcomed the move as a step in the right direction.

He said: “This is an excellent first step towards making life a little easier for disabled people in Highland.

“This list, if adopted, would make it easier to find firms with WAVs and allow swift action against any discrimination.”

Does that mean that even if the WAV passenger is covered is [edited by admin] or puke that they wont get a refusal?

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Grandad,

To become a criminal offence, they would need to enact a byelaw specifying the specific offence. Seems a bit sledgehammer to crack a nut to me, particularly when most circumstances are probably already covered under the 'catch all' Equality Act.

Discrimination of anyone is a criminal offence, but once the WAV list is adopted it also becomes a licensing offence and can be dealt with by LOs.

It doesn't need a new bylaw, just a new condition of license.

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IDFIMH