MOBILITY MATTERS
BLIND WOMAN FORCED TO WALK A MILE AS SHE’S REFUSED PHV IN STALYBRIDGE OVER GUIDE DOG
A blind woman has spoken of her fury after she was ‘refused a taxi’ because of her guide dog and forced to walk a mile in the rain to get to her destination. Adele Kinch and her partner Steven Yates, from Southport, claim they were refused travel in two cabs because of their guide dog, Zebedee on Tuesday 11 July. They booked a PHV from Radio Cabs Ashton and Swift Radio Cars from Stalybridge train station. Steven, who also uses a mobility scooter, told the M.E.N: “She was told she would have to wait for a ‘dog-friendly’ taxi – but a guide dog is allowed in any vehicle. “We had to walk from the station to
my mum’s. It was really infuriating.” Under the Equality Act 2010 taxi and private hire drivers are obliged to carry guide or assistance dogs at no extra cost. Taxis and PHV drivers refusing a person accompanied by an assistance dog, without a valid medical exemption certificate, is a criminal offence, says the Guide
Dogs for the Blind Association. The organisation said: “It is unlawful in all but the most exceptional circumstances and it is also unlawful to provide an inferior level of service because of a guide dog; for example, only allowing guide dog owners to use cars that permit pets. You’re also not allowed to impose additional charges, such as cleaning charges, if someone is accompanied by a guide dog.” Steven added: “It just leaves you wondering when it’s going to happen again. It makes you angry. “We were wondering how we were going to get back and how we’re going to see my mum again if we get refused. It’s upsetting.”
REVIEW OVER POOR TAXI ACCESSIBILITY FOR DISABLED USERS IN PORTSMOUTH
Portsmouth City Council will carry out a review into taxi accessibility after disability groups warned limited provision in the city was making even day-to-day journeys ‘fraught with uncertainty’. At their meeting on 18 July, councillors unanimously supported a motion proposed by Labour councillors, Charlotte Gerada and Yinka Adeniran, which makes a series of recommendations to improve access. “I was horrified to hear stories of how difficult it was to book a taxi and how some were even refused because of clear discrimination,” Cllr Gerada said. “In 2023 and in a city that prides itself on being inclusive, this is shocking and totally unacceptable.” Almost 17,000 people in Ports-
PHTM AUGUST 2023
mouth are disabled or have a health condition that significantly impacts their day-to-day However,
there are only 73
accessible taxis in the city and these are in demand for getting people to and from school. Speaking at the start of Tuesday’s meeting, Sharon Smithson, who has been disabled since birth and in a wheelchair for more than 30 years, said the industry was lagging behind. “I’ve experienced problems with taxis in Portsmouth all my life and it’s not improving. If anything, it’s getting more challenging.” She said a taxi driver refused to take her after a night out with friends because “it would take too long to get the ramps out” and he could earn more money carrying
life.
other passengers. Cllr Jason Fazackarley, chairman of the licensing committee, said he was happy to look into the issue but said the council only had limited control. “These are private companies that operate for profit and they are struggling to make ends meet and many would struggle to afford a wheelchair-accessible vehicle,” he said.
The motion will require his committee to carry out a review of licensing policy in the city,
to
consider ways of increasing the uptake of accessible vehicles, for the leaders of all political groups to meet members of the Portsmouth Disability Advisory Group and to invite the group’s members to the city’s Transport Liaison Group.
49
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
