A blind woman in her 80s and her guide dog were left stranded in the cold after a Wirral taxi driver refused to transport them.
Monica Price, who is registered blind, had booked two taxis with Argyle Taxis in Birkenhead to take her to and from a meeting a few miles from her Wallasey home.
Upon the arrival of her first taxi, Ms Price described being “screamed at” by the driver.
“The driver was most unfriendly and announced he had been waiting for at least five minutes,” she recounted. “He must have seen I had a Guide Dog but it was only when I got to the car with my dog’s harness in my hand that he screamed at me, ‘I can’t take you. I’m allergic. Get that dog away from me’.”
She said: “Eventually another taxi was called and I might have just put this episode down to experience but the man who came to collect me from my meeting was rude and belligerent, shouting he was allergic to dogs.
“He drove off and left me in the freezing cold. I had to get someone from the meeting to bring me home.”
Following the incidents, Ms Price is determined to raise awareness about the illegal refusal of service to guide dog owners.
“The Equality Act is very specific about taxi drivers, whether they work for black cabs or for one of the many private hire companies,” she explained. “Drivers must, by law, accept guide dogs and other assistance dogs unless they are allergic to dogs in which case, they must provide a medical certificate to verify this.”
She also noted that hire companies should maintain a list of drivers with medical exemptions and avoid dispatching them to passengers with assistance dogs.
Ms Price expressed frustration with the commonality of such refusals, saying: “Refusals on the grounds of allergy are common now throughout the UK. Taxi firms are saying they cannot force their drivers to take assistance dogs because if they try that the drivers will leave and go to other firms.”
She also described the frequent occurrence of “distressing remarks” from drivers. “One driver said to me, ‘I have the right to say who comes into my car, not you’,” she recalled. “When one driver taking me rang his company to complain about taking a guide dog the response which I heard was, ‘Sorry, mate. It won’t happen again’.”
Ms Price emphasised the well-trained nature of assistance dogs, stating: “These are working dogs, not pet dogs and they do their jobs extremely well.”
She concluded: “By refusing those of us who have them, drivers are refusing disabled people and are insisting on treating us differently. It is discrimination all the way. We should not have to feel distressed or apprehensive when we call a taxi.”
An Argyle Satellite spokesperson responded to the allegations, saying: “We are deeply disappointed to hear of the alleged incident and strongly condemn any breach of the Disability Discrimination Act or the Equality Act.
The spokesperson added that they expect all drivers to adhere to the Equality Act 2010 and carry assistance dogs without additional charge, except for those with valid medical exemptions.
“We have now begun an internal investigation, and will be fully compliant with Wirral Licensing, providing all details required including call recordings, and booking details, to assist them with their own investigations,” the spokesperson said.
“Since being made aware of the complaint, our team have been in contact with Monica Price to offer further support.”
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