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Highland Council moves to make WAV refusal criminal offence
http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=35338
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Author:  StuartW [ Mon Jan 20, 2020 3:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Highland Council moves to make WAV refusal criminal offence

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? :-k


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.”

Author:  grandad [ Mon Jan 20, 2020 4:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Highland Council moves to make WAV refusal criminal offe

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

Author:  cabbyman [ Mon Jan 20, 2020 6:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Highland Council moves to make WAV refusal criminal offe

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.

Author:  Sussex [ Mon Jan 20, 2020 8:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Highland Council moves to make WAV refusal criminal offe

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

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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