Minicab firm turns down blind army veteran with guide dog Peter Williams was trying to get home from a museum promoting blind awarenessA blind army veteran said he was turned away by a minicab firm because he has a guide dog.
Peter Williams said Galaxy Cars told him they would not be able to collect him from The Lightbox in Woking and take him to his home in Staines on Friday because ‘they do not take dogs of any sort’.
Mr Williams, who served in the Royal Signals from 1968, was at the museum for a Blind Veterans UK awareness exhibition when he called for the minicab between 2.30pm and 3pm.
He has only had his two-year-old guide dog, Amos, for 16 weeks and said he was told by the phone operator Galaxy would not be able to collect him as he has a dog.
Mr Williams claims the firm then hung up.
“I’m disgusted with it,” said the 63-year-old. “It’s very disappointing. I was given a guide dog so I had more of a life and had some independence as I can’t get about that well.”
Mr Williams, who lives in Worple Avenue, became blind in February 1971 when, while training to be a butcher, he slipped when cutting a shoulder of lamb and severed an artery in his leg causing massive blood loss. Blood clots formed behind his eyes, destroying his optic nerves.
The owner of Galaxy Cars, Mohammed Zubair, who is a founding member of the Woking Asian Business Forum, is trying to trace the call in the company’s system. He said if someone was responsible, they would be sacked.
“In my company this would never happen – it can’t happen,” he said. “Believe me, I do not mess about. If any of my customers, especially disabled people, are treated like that, the person responsible is immediately sacked.
Woking Borough Council is investigating the complaint
“The only thing I can say is that if it did happen, it must have been a mistake and someone must have answered who doesn’t normally pick up the phone. There must have been a misunderstanding with the message, 100% I would never, ever let anyone down like that – it would be criminal to have that kind of policy. It is totally against our policy to do that.”
Pru Chambers, marketing manager at The Lightbox gallery and museum, confirmed that a receptionist from the museum dialled Galaxy Cars’ number between 2.30pm and 3pm for Mr Williams before handing the phone to him.
Russell Ellis, the team leader responsible for licensing at Woking Borough Council, said Mr Williams contacted the authority on Monday morning and is awaiting more detailed information in order to investigate the complaint.
“It is an offence under the Disability Discrimination Act not to carry a guide dog in a minicab with its registered blind owner,” he said. “The only exemption to this rule would be if the minicab driver had a medical condition that prevented he or she from transporting the guide dog.
“In this case, the minicab driver would need to provide proof of his or her medical condition.”
Mr Ellis added: “We take all allegations of discrimination seriously and we will be investigating the accusation with both parties, in line with the council’s complaints procedure.”
source:
http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/local-n ... ms-7983550
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