A blind lady has spoken out after reportedly being ‘refused a cab’ twice since she had her guide dog.
Adele Kinch and her boyfriend Steven Yates ordered a taxi from Radio Cabs Ashton and Swift Radio Cars to pick them up and Kinch’s guide dog Zebedee at Stalybridge railway station and take them to Yates’ mother’s home on Tuesday, July 11.
But the duo were reportedly informed twice by employees that they couldn’t send a cab since the two firms ‘amalgamated lately into one company’.
Staff allegedly told the couple they would have to ‘wait for a dog-friendly’ car, despite the fact that guide dogs are permitted in automobiles under a separate rule.
When they were unable to board a normal cab, Kinch and Yates thought they had no choice but to walk ‘approximately a mile’ to Yates’ mother’s home.
According to Kinch, the heavens had opened by the time they were halfway there on foot, which didn’t help and left them drenched when they arrived.
Yates describes walking as “infuriating,” considering that “a guide dog is allowed in any vehicle.”
Taxi drivers are required under Section 168 of the 2010 Equality Act to transport the handicapped person’s dog and enable it to stay with that person, as well as not charge the individual any extra cost for doing so.
The same is true for private car rental as it is for taxi services.
According to the legislation, “the driver of a taxi commits an offense by failing to comply with a duty imposed by this section.”
In fact, if a taxi or private car rental driver is found guilty of not allowing a handicapped person’s guide dog into their vehicle, they incur a criminal offense and are ‘liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level three on the standard scale’.
A taxi driver may only refuse a handicapped individual who has been granted an exemption document from bringing their dog into their car.
According to the website of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, the sole exception to this is if the driver has a medical exemption certificate from the licensing authority due to a genuine medical condition that is aggravated by exposure to dogs.
In this case, one or one’s company should assist the passenger in locating another taxi/minicab.
The organization also points out that guide dogs are “trained to sit at their owner’s feet at all times” and will not “bother individuals” or “climb on seats,” posing no danger of dirtying or ruining the interior of a cab.
Sadly, the pair had even more difficulties while attempting to catch a ride back to the station from Yates’ mother’s residence.
While they were able to summon a cab, Yates claims the car was late and ‘so little’ that they were all ‘very cramped,’ necessitating the use of a mobility scooter.
Yates says that it was also so late that they missed their train home. They had to take a train to Bolton, only to discover that they would have to wait a very long time for a connecting train back to Southport. His partner’s parents ended up paying the £60 taxi fare back to Southport for them. They returned at 9.30 p.m.
They cannot comment on the details regarding this incident, said Chris Theobald, Senior Policy, Public Affairs, and Campaigns Manager for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. The legislation regarding guide and other assistance dogs, on the other hand, is unambiguous; taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers are legally obligated to carry assistance dogs and not charge extra for this service.
This requirement is waived for drivers who have a medical exemption certificate from their licensing authority. Drivers who do follow the rules may be prosecuted, fined up to £1,000, and have their license suspended or revoked.
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