MOBILITY MATTERS.. DISABILITY AWARENESS:
A crucial part of passenger transport
The following quote comes from On-Route, TfL’s magazine for taxi and PHV drivers: “Any taxi or private hire driver, or operator who refuses a fare, or charges an additional fee because a passenger has an assistance dog, risks prosecution and the possible loss of their licence.” Of course these words apply to licence holders through the UK under the Equal- ity Act. As this feature highlights, the percentage of refusals of passengers with assistance dogs – and indeed wheelchair passengerswho are either re- fused ormishandled in someway – is still totally disproportionate to the levels of fines being dished out. The onlyway that numbers of offences will be reduced is bymandating disability awareness train- ing, and by taking stronger punitive measures against offenders.
ASSISTANCE DOGS
Under the Equality Act 2010 you cannot refuse to carry a disabled passenger with- out reasonable grounds. Assistance dogs must be allowed to accompany their owners in a taxi or private hire vehicle without any additional charge.
However, figures from Guide Dogs UK show 42 per cent of assistance dog owners have been turned away from a taxi or private hire vehicle because of their dog.
Hannah Trussler, Campaigns Officer for Guide Dogs UK, comments: “This is not only illegal but can be devastating for the person with sight loss, leaving them stranded, angry and embarrassed.
“We are campaigning for all taxi and private hire drivers to receive disability equality training to ensure that they understand the rights and needs of disabled people, includ- ing those with sight loss, and put an end to these illegal refusals.”
Emily Davidson is dependent on her guide dog Unity for getting around the London. She says: “Being turned away from a taxi is probably one of the most stressful things I have to deal with as a guide dog owner. It adds more anxiety to my everyday life. All I want is to be able to get on withmy journey
62 TOP TIPS FOR HELPING
To give disabled passengers the best possible service follow these steps:
like any other commuter. Training for drivers is so important because often I don’t feel as if they are aware about assistance dogs and the laws that protect them.”
Assistance dogs are highly trained and will remain on the floor of the vehicle. They usu- ally wear a highly reflective jacket or other identifying part of their harness. For an illus- trated list of dogs that are covered, see opposite.
Any driver or operator convicted of an offence under the Equality Act will have their licence reviewed for fitness and may have it revoked.
For example, between February 2015 and November 2017, Transport for London suc- cessfully prosecuted 27 private hire drivers for refusing assistance dogs, resulting in fines totalling £13,471 plus costs.
WHEELCHAIRS
Drivers of taxis (which are all fully accessi- ble) and designated wheelchair accessible private hire vehicles have a legal duty to transport the passenger while intheir wheelchair at no additional charge. They must also load and unload the wheelchair if the passenger wants to sit in the vehicle.
Wheelchair user Mik Scarlet is a broadcaster and equality journalist who has trained taxi and private hire drivers in carrying wheelchairs. He says: “Most drivers just want to make sure they get it right, but there’s a lot of fear about what to do and what to say to disabled customers.
“My top tip is, don’t be afraid to ask the cus- tomer what they want to happen. Do they want to sit in thewheelchair or do theywant it folded up? Drivers shouldn’t panic; they should feel proud they are part of the solu- tion for the customer and have made their life easier by carrying them.”
AUGUST 2018
• Do ask the passenger if they need any help, but wait for your offer to be accepted before doing anything
• Do talk directly to the passenger rather than to the person with them
• Do let visually-impaired passengers know if there are delays in the journey and also let them know when they are near their destination
• Do count out the change for visually- impaired passengers
• Do have a pen and paper handy to write things down for passengers with hearing impairments
• If your vehicle has a wheelchair ramp, make sure it is available and in good working order at all times
• Do not pick up or drop off passengers who are wheelchair users where there is an incline or the pavement is sloped
• Do not make assumptions about a disability, or assume that it is insignifi- cant because it is not visible
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