taxis and registered assistance dogs - Disability Discrimination
Dear Sir or Madam,
Please tell me:
1. what arrangements you make to ensure that taxi drivers licensed
by the council do not refuse to carry a passenger who has a
registered assistance dog (you will I hope be aware that this
extends substantially beyond Guide Dogs).
2. How many instances you are aware of where there have been such
refusals, and the reasons why
3. How many complaints you have had about this and how you have
dealt with them.
4. How your council meets its obligations in this respect under
Disability Discrimination legislation, to ensure that people with a
registered assistance dog are not refused by taxi drivers.
Yours faithfully,
Peter Heaton
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Carlisle City Council
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Dear Mr Heaton
Your FOI request in respect of the disability arrangement for taxis has been passed to me for reply. I will answer your queries in the same order that you ask.
1 & 4. We utilise the DfT leaflet entitled 'Carriage of Assistance Dogs in Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles' which is handed to all new drivers and periodically circulated to existing drivers.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/adobepdf/259428/32...
In addition the conditions for a taxi or private hire driver include a paragraph on animals -
'The driver shall not refuse to carry within the vehicle any household pets providing they are accompanied by an adult and providing such pets are suitably restrained or contained so as not to cause a nuisance or damage.'
2 & 3. I have checked our records and we have two recorded complaints and one instance of advice in the last four years.
i 2005 - A driver refused to let an assistance dog sit in the front of his taxi. He was not aware that this was the usual position the dog occupied and was advised regarding asking further questions of the owner in future. The complainant was satisfied with the action taken.
ii 2005 - An allegation that a driver refused to carry an assistance dog because of hairs on the seat and advised the owner to get a black cab and drove off. When interviewed the driver said that he told the owner a black cab would be more appropriate and called one for them before leaving. (The complaint actually came from the driver of the cab attending) The driver was required to attend the Council's Regulatory Panel where the incident was considered and could have led to suspension or revocation of his licence. The Panel resolved that they accepted there had been a misunderstanding and that the driver be advised to familiarise himself with the DDA legislation. All drivers and operators to be written to make them aware of their responsibilities under the DDA. Shortly after the first leaflets regarding 'Carriage of Assistance Dogs in Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles' were sent out.
iii 2009 - An operator reported that he had received a complaint from a passenger, to say that a driver had said that he shouldn't take an assistance dog because he had a NHS contract. The operator had dealt with this himself, however a licensing officer did speak to the driver. The driver said he had been making conversation and said that he was getting a NHS contract in the future. The driver was advised that if he was no longer able to carry animals in his vehicle it could not be licensed as a taxi.
I hope this answers your query.
Jim Messenger
Licensing Manager
Carlisle City Council
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