MOBILITY MATTERS
FIFE VILLAGES SNAP UP TAXIBUS SERVICE
The expansion of Go- Flexi taxibuses into north Fife has proved a hit with residents in places including Dun- bog, Luthrie, Gauldry and Kilmany. Part of the area was served by an infre- quent bus service, but the taxibuses cover a much wider area, six days a week from early morning until 6pm.
According to the Couri- er and Advertiser, they offer door-to-door transport in rural areas, and the F7 taxibus serves the villages between Newburgh, Rathillet and Cupar. It operates from Mon- day to Saturday, 9am to 6pm.
The neighbouring F5 service, which covers
DISABLED SON REFUSED RIDE IN BLACKBURN CAB
Photo courtesy of DC Thomson
From left - North East Fife area committee chairman Cllr Andrew Arbuckle, passenger Ian Maxwell, Town and Country Taxis owner Jim Herkes and Transport committee chairman Councillor Tony Martin
the area between Cupar, Luthrie
and
Gauldry is available from 7am to 6pm. Journeys can be booked by calling Town and Country Taxis on 01334 840340.
The national conces- sion scheme applies to taxibus journeys. Go-Flexi is funded by Fife Council. For leaflets call 01592 583223 or visit
www.go-flexi.org.
The parents of a severely disabled man said they were dis- gusted after he was refused travel in a black cab for the sec- ond time in a year. Ashley McDermot from Blackburn has cere- bral palsy and learning difficulties meaning he cannot speak or walk. He had been shopping in Blackburn town centre with his parents Richard and Annette when they decided to get a taxi home from a rank in Ainsworth Street.
Mr McDermot told the Lancashire Telegraph: “When the driver saw Ashley in his wheelchair he started saying ‘I’m not taking disabled’. “I went round to talk to him to find out what
was going on, but he just kept repeating that he wouldn’t take anyone who was dis- abled. “We use black cabs all the time to transport Ashley because they have ramps and wide doors that are suitable for him, so I have no idea what the problem was.
“It’s unacceptable dis- crimination against the disabled and if it is happening to us, how many others are being affected?”
Mrs McDermot said: “This is the second time it’s happened and it’s disgusting. The first time was in August and when we complained to the council we were told that it was a taxi from
Manchester and there was nothing they could do about it.” Cllr Alan Cottam said: “We take complaints of this nature very seri- ously and are looking into the circumstances. In general terms a hackney carriage can’t refuse to carry passen- gers on the grounds of disability. “However, there are very limited circum- stances where a refusal to carry a wheelchair would be acceptable on safety grounds.” Mmm...We’ll take the Councillor’s com- ments further, and say that it is indeed an offence to refuse to take any passenger on the grounds of disabil- ity. Only prosecutions will enforce this - Ed.
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0800 142 2815 PAGE 54 PHTM FEBRUARY 2010
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