http://www.theenquirer.co.uk/minicab-driver-fined-after-refusing-to-take-brentwood-woman-with-hearing-dog/A BRENTWOOD woman has been left ‘upset and embarrassed’ after being denied access to a minicab because she was accompanied by her hearing dog.
Sophie Biebuyck and dog Rusty, on their way to a wedding reception, were asked to pay an additional £45 by a London minicab driver. Sophie refused the extra charge causing her to arrive late for her engagement.
Sophie said: “My hearing dog Rusty is not just a loyal companion; he’s my ears, alerting me to important sounds and sirens. Without Rusty by my side I would not be as independent as I am today.”
By law private hire drivers must not refuse to carry a passenger because they want to travel with an assistance dog and operators are unable to charge extra on their fare.
Driver Ali Ates, 65, of Brooke Road, Clapton, was found guilty in his absence of refusing to carry a passenger who wished to be accompanied by an assistance dog at City of London Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 19 April.
He was fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £988.
Helen Chapman, Transport for London’s (TfL) General Manager of Taxi and Private Hire, said: “We take a zero tolerance approach to drivers refusing to carry passengers accompanied by assistance dogs and we encourage customers to report any incidents to us.”
TfL have been prosecuting private hire drivers for not accepting assistance dogs since February 2015 and so far 21 minicab drivers have been successfully prosecuted and fined a total of £7,055.
Angie Platten, Hearing Dog’s Head of Partnerships, said: “To be refused access to travel using a minicab can be highly frustrating and distressing position for a deaf person.
“They often struggle with communication and can feel abandoned with no ability to contact the taxi provider to explain or rebook due to their inability to hear on the phone.”
In response to this story Neil Heslop, CEO of Leonard Cheshire Disability, said: “These prosecutions are welcome and send a strong message that discrimination by minicab drivers against disabled people won’t be tolerated.
“I know as a guide dog owner that sometimes unscrupulous drivers try to charge extra, refuse to stop, or won’t take assistance dogs – despite this being illegal. We need to consign these kinds of practices to a bygone age.
“All drivers need to be aware of the law and how to best support disabled passengers.”
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