captain cab wrote:
Guide dog refusal costs taxi firm's licence
A TAXI firm which left a blind pensioner stranded in the rain when it refused to carry her guide dog has been stripped of its licence.
However, Four Star Taxis, Lonsdale Street, Nelson, will still be able to operate for at least another three weeks while its appeal is heard.
And despite the action, Kitsar Iqbal, of Four Star Taxis, has insisted the firm would not be changing its policy over guide dogs.
Coun Marjorie Adams, chairman of Pendle Council's taxi licensing committee, said the decision had been taken to reassure residents.
She added: "Following a complaint about a Four Star driver refusing to carry a guide dog, the decision has been made to revoke Four Star's operator's licence.
"This decision has not been taken lightly, especially given the busy time of year, but this outcome reflects the seriousness in which we view the allegations.
"Pendle Taxi Association is concerned about the effect this incident may have had on its image and it is hoped that this decision provides reassurance to people."
A Four Star driver refused to pick up Brenda Midgeley, 66, and her guide dog, Lucy, from the Carters' and Motormen's Club, Nelson, nearly two weeks ago.
Mrs Midgeley, of Bedfordshire Avenue, Burnley, had been organising a Christmas party for people with sight difficulties at the club when she called the taxi.
Mrs Midgeley, who only has residual vision after losing her sight 16 years ago, said the driver refused to allow her to travel because Lucy, seven, would get hairs on the seats.
She claimed the driver then radioed the cab office who told the driver to refuse the fare.
After the incident Mr Iqbal said Mrs Midgeley should have informed them she had a guide dog so managers could have sent an older car.
The order was served on Friday and Four Star now has 21 days to appeal.
Following that process, the firm would also be allowed to operate until an appeal was heard by a magistrates' court.
Mr Iqbal said the company had not changed its policy about carrying guide dogs.
He said: "We are going to take them to court and I have been to see my solicitor already.
"We have 21 days to appeal and the solicitor has appealed on my behalf.
"We have not changed our policy."
A clear case that taxis should be taxis. That is, real taxis. You konw the ones I mean, the hackney types.
Seems we've all been seduced into believing that any battered old saloon is a taxi.
It obviously not.
Which sets me wondering why here in Edinburgh our erstwhile council has been suppressing demand for the real thing while satisfying increased demand for taxis to private hire.
We have around one hundred people who have waited on an "interested parties list" (no legal status) for around 15 years (which has been closed since 1994). In that time 150 licences have been issued from it.
Yet private hire has multipled froam around 100 to well over 800 today.
It's no coincidence that there are well known ph influences in our council, where councillors have direct involvement in the ph trade. Indeed, the former convenor of the regulatory committee resigned to pursue his "career" with a major ph company.
Now, call me naive, but doesn't it seem likely that reason no taxi licences were issued on his watch, a watch which conveniently saw the Jacob survey confirm that "no extra taxi licences were needed because their was no significant unmet demand", was because he obviously was already working his personal interest?
I would query whether this is little more than naked council corruption?
Meanwhile, we in the taxi trade in Edinburgh have lost the numerical presence which established our previously good record for service quality?
Now people think taxi, they're just as likely to take a ph.
New labour, new con, new vestwed interest, means we're on the back foot.
It's time to fight back.
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