MOBILITY MATTERS


CHECKS TO SEE IF LICHFIELD DRIVERS COMPLYING WITH LAW ON CARRYING ASSISTANCE DOGS


An undercover operation in Lichfield has seen checks carried out to see if taxi drivers are complying with legal require- ments to carry assistance dogs. Lichfield DC’s licensing officers and the Guide Dogs charity teamed up as part of the initiative. Jessica Luke and her dog Pebble took journeys in taxis booked in advance and on a taxi rank.


The council said no drivers refused to take the fare, although one did drive off when the dog and owner approached a taxi rank. Checks later proved he had received a booking for another journey. Cabinet member Cllr Alex Farrell said: “This operation was organised after receiving intelligence that taxi drivers have been refusing to carry visually impaired people


accompanied by a guide dog. “I’m pleased that all the drivers complied with their legal require- ment to carry guide dogs. “Further operations are planned, and it’s worth reminding drivers that if they do refuse to carry an assistance dog, including a guide dog, they face having their licence suspended or revoked, and prosecution.”


PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER FINED FOR REFUSING ASSISTANCE DOGS IN MILTON KEYNES


A PH driver is more than £200 out of pocket after refusing to let an assistance dogs ride in his cab. Two passengers, each accom- panied by their dogs, had booked his PHV, but Sayid Ahmed Dahir turned them away. As a result the people were left stranded, the court was told. They complained to Milton Keynes


City Council (MKCC), whose officers launched a prosecution. Mr Dahir pleaded guilty at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court to refusing to take the assistance dogs in September 2023. He was fined £67 and must pay £350 costs plus a £27 victim surcharge. Mr Dahir’s licence will be reviewed by Buckinghamshire Council.


Cllr Mick Legg, MKCC Cabinet member responsible for Regul- atory Services, said: “Milton Keynes City Council takes it obligations under the Equality Act seriously and will not allow any driver to risk the safety of the travelling public. “We will continue to investigate all complaints and put drivers before the court when appropriate.”


MP WANTS MORE PROTECTION FOR ASSISTANCE DOG USERS AND DISABILITY TRAINING FOR CABBIES


An MP has called for greater pro- tections for people who use assistance dogs. Sir Bill Wiggin, Conservative MP for North Herefordshire, wants to see better services for those with assistance dogs and for disability equality training for taxi drivers. He presented a bill to


the


Commons that proposes to pro- hibit the parking of motor vehicles on pavements and footpaths. Sir Bill said the legislation would


PHTM JUNE 2024


“encourage and support people who use dogs, or perhaps want to use a dog”. He added that it would be for those who “are afraid of being made to walk home in the rain, barred from using a taxi or restaurant and forced into the traffic by pavement parking”. When presenting The Assistance Dogs and Pavement Parking Bill to the Commons, Sir Bill noted that 81% of assistance dog owners have had access to taxis refused.


He added that a 2019 survey found that 95% of people with sight loss said pavement parking had forced them to walk in the road and one in five have been injured because of pavement parking. He said: “No taxi driver should be worried about dog allergies when they see a blind person, because they must and will know how to look after them, because they have been trained to deal with these customers.”


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