MOBILITY MATTERS ROSSENDALE FIRM PROSECUTED
FOR OVERCHARGING DISABLED PASSENGER
Rossendale BC has successfully prosecuted a local taxi firm after uncovering systematic over- charging of a disabled passenger. The council’s Licensing and Enforcement Office launched an investigation in response to a complaint about unfair pricing. The enquiry found several instances of excessive over- charging of a passenger in a wheelchair for short journeys com- pared to able-bodied passengers using the same service. The enquiries revealed that Connections Taxis in Rawtenstall overcharged the passenger on two separate occasions in September 2023. They were charged £8 for a
0.5 mile journey which should have cost £3.50. The same vehicle charged an able-bodied passenger £4.50 for a 2.1 mile journey 30 mins prior to the overcharged journey. Further investigations showed the same wheelchair bound passen- ger was charged £12 for a 2.7 mile journey. That journey
return journey costing another £12. The investigation confirmed that able-bodied passengers were charged standard fares, exposing clear evidence of discriminatory pricing against disabled cus- tomers. As a result, the private hire operator’s and the driver’s licences were revoked by the council’s Licensing Sub-Committee.
with the
Mohsen Saddique, 31, who was the taxi firm’s manager and was responsible for setting fare prices, appeared at Blackburn Magist- rates Court in December 2024. He pleaded guilty to overcharging the disabled passenger. The court ordered Mr. Saddique to pay a total penalty of £636, which includes a victim surcharge of £110. Lead Member for Environment and Corporate Services, Cllr Adrian Lythgoe said: “Overcharging dis- abled passengers is not only illegal but entirely unacceptable. This investigation sends a clear message to all operators and drivers that discriminatory practices will not be tolerated.”
GUIDE DOG OWNER LEFT STRANDED BY TAXI DRIVER IN EAST LONDON
A disability rights campaigner has spoken out after a taxi driver refused to transport her and her guide dog in East London, leaving her stranded on the curb. Deborah Persaud, chair of the disabled campaign group Transport for All, had pre-booked a taxi with ComCab, an Addison Lee subsidiary, to travel to a party in Kings Cross. Despite notifying the company that she would be travelling with her guide dog, the driver, Rahim Eren, refused to take her, citing an allergy. “He said he was ‘not taking the dog,’” Ms Persaud told Metro. “When I asked to
see his
exemption certificate, he just ‘sped off.’” This incident, she explained, is not an isolated occurrence, high-
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lighting the ongoing challenges faced by disabled people in accessing transportation services. The incident left Ms Persaud significantly inconvenienced, forcing her to find alternative transportation and causing her to arrive at the party an hour late. “It’s very frustrating and upsetting,” she said, emphasising the significant impact such incidents have on the lives of disabled people, excluding them from “society and the economy.” Following the incident, Ms Persaud filed a complaint with both TfL and ComCab. TfL subsequently took legal action against the driver, who ultimately pleaded guilty
to
breaching the Equality Act at City of London Magistrates Court.
“TfL has got a whole team of people who take on these prosecutions because it’s so rife,” Ms Persaud said, expressing her gratitude for TfL’s efforts. However, she stressed that this is just one instance among many and that significant work remains to be done to address the systemic issues faced by disabled people in accessing transportation. An Addison Lee spokesperson stated, “We are disappointed with the conduct of the driver and we sincerely apologise to Ms Persaud for this unfortunate incident.” A TfL spokesperson echoed that, stressing that everyone has the right to
travel without facing
discrimination and thanking Ms. Persaud for reporting the incident.
FEBRUARY 2025 PHTM
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