Taxi Driver Online

Newport woman's fury at taxi 'disability discrimination'

A NEWPORT woman who was left in a wheelchair after suffering from meningitis believes that taxi drivers are “discriminating” against the disabled.

Just months after she had similar issues with a private taxi company, Sophie Shuttleworth, 32, has continued to have some issues with the council-licensed Hackney carriages.

On Friday, August 9, she was enjoying a night out in Newport with a friend at The Potters pub before leaving at around 11pm through the back door and headed down opposite towards Windsor Castle pub.

After previously speaking to the city council, she understood there would be some wheelchair accessible vehicles available at the hackney carriage rank, and was pleased to find three vehicles waiting there.

However, upon approaching the first vehicle, they were met with some issues.

Sophie Shuttleworth says she has faced many problems with taxi drivers since becoming a full-time wheelchair user

“My friend Kayleigh and I approached all three taxis and were told they don’t take cash and were card only, and we were told to go to the Capital taxi office opposite the bus station," said Sophie.

“We explained to the lady there that we had been sent to her and she told us that the taxis are legally obliged to take wheelchair users, so she offered to help us by drawing out the cash if we bank transferred the money.”

Ms Shuttleworth’s friend returned back to the taxi rank to request a price for the meter, as they would need to go to Duffryn and Maindee, but the drivers allegedly argued with the friend, despite them both explaining that they now had cash and would be able to pay with this method.

She said: “My friend told me that while she was having this discussion with the driver, he let an able-bodied couple get into his taxi, despite my friend being at the front of the queue.

“He argued that they had been first, but they clearly weren’t as my friend had been talking with him before they arrived.

“She eventually went over to one of the other taxis, who drove off after saying he had to go because someone in his family was unwell.”

By the time Ms Shuttleworth’s friend returned to the Capitol office, she told Ms Shuttleworth that each of the taxi drivers were refusing to listen and refused to take either of them for multiple reasons, and there were now no accessible vehicles available on the rank.

Ms Shuttleworth said: “The woman at Capitol assured us she would approach the next WAV that pulls in, and we headed down back to where they line up opposite the Windsor Castle pub.

“We approached a driver, and she explained the situation and that they must take me, pointing out that his taxi number would be reported if he refused.

“After we drew the money out, we were eventually able to use the taxi, and the driver was very helpful.”

Sophie Shuttleworth is determined to fight against any disability discrimination she finds to make the world a more accessible place

Ms Shuttleworth believes that after the issues with the taxis, she got home about midnight, and feels that this issue is another prime example of taxis “discriminating against the disabled”.

She said: “I shouldn’t have had to argue my case with these drivers, and we then got punished because those three drivers disappeared and there were no other wheelchair accessible vehicles available for ages.

"This is disability discrimination - I'm never able to go out alone because I can't guarantee I'll be able to get home, and it's just not fair.

"I'm determined to fight against this kind of discrimination and help make the world a more accessible place."

Newport City Council said all hackney carriages, which can be hailed from a rank or on the street have been required to be wheelchair accessible since 2007.

They also explained private hire vehicles have to be booked in advance, but Ms Shuttleworth says this policy is “disgraceful” and has no way of guaranteeing that she would be able to get home in case a wheelchair accessible vehicle is not available.

A council spokesperson said: “We take all complaints about potential discrimination seriously and appropriate action is taken if the complaint is upheld.

“In common with other councils, we cannot require private hire vehicles to be wheelchair accessible.

“The Welsh Government has proposed making changes to the legislation in respect of accessibility in private hire vehicles and the council has fully supported this change.”

source: https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/24540369.newport-womans-fury-taxi-disability-discrimination/

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

So what the bloody hell are you moaning about then?

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IDFIMH

I am assuming this is P^ss poor journalism or lazy editing

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Probably about the ones who refused. it was only after an intervention from the lady in the cab office that she got the taxi.

Why? They were originaly told they could only pay by cash when they only had card but when they had the cash they were still refused.

Pete read my post properly ; That's what I was pointing out they were told they COULD NOT pay by cash but apparently needed to obtain cash ? The article doesn't say that

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Sorry, my misunderstanding. I blame it on the hot weather here in Spain. I assumed that the drivers actually said that they didn't take card and it was cash only which was why the office lady got them the cash.

That's probably what did happen which is why I was questioning the integrity of the guttersnipe that wrote it

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Well she has learnt a brilliant lesson, call the girl in the cab office when she needs a WAV.

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IDFIMH

So she has to fanny about at the rank with the compulsory WAVs, and gets all sorts of cock and bull stories about not having card readers and other sob stories, then has to go to a PH office when the WAV drivers think it a good wheeze to foist them off to them because they don't have WAVs, and the PH office staff then manage to give them cash for the HC WAV, then back to the rank and more bickering and queue-jumping, and one WAV driver will only take the wheelchair because the PH lady went to the rank and threatened to take his licence number and report him?

Wouldn't it be a lot easier for all concerned if the WAV driver on the rank just took the job?

Of course, but she didn't report those who illegally refused her, instead she bellyached to the press.

The only way her situation will be sorted is to report drivers.

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IDFIMH

As opposed to bellyaching on here, for example?

And if it wasn't for people bellyaching to the press a lot of the stuff on here would disappear...

But in this particular case, it looks like she's had some history of problems and contact with the council, therefore...

And the comments on the website suggest the council won't take action against drivers for, er, reasons

But it shouldn't take a member of the public complaining to the press to convice anyone on here that councils are less than perfect, and often that only a bit of press coverage will persuade them to actually do something

The prize for understatement of the year goes to Stuart.