Posted on the 18th August 2025 in PHTM News

BRADFORD UBER DRIVER £80 FINED AFTER REFUSING TO TRANSPORT GUIDE DOG

A Bradford Uber driver, Khurram Mukhtar, was fined and ordered to pay costs after he admitted to refusing a fare from a blind woman with a guide dog.

Mukhtar, who had his licence revoked by Bradford Council following the incident, appeared in court and claimed he “totally forgot” that it was illegal to refuse a passenger with an assistance animal.

The incident occurred on March 4, when Mukhtar, 44, was booked to pick up a passenger from the Yorkshire Building Society headquarters. When he arrived, the passenger was with her guide dog.

According to Waseem Raja, prosecuting on behalf of Bradford Council, Mukhtar “simply refused to take the dog and refused to take the complainant.”

The woman began recording the interaction, and the video was shown in court. In the footage, the woman is heard telling Mukhtar: “It is against the law to say no to a guide dog,” to which he replied, “No, no, no. I can’t allow dogs. You need to order a pet Uber.”

After the woman said she would report him, Mukhtar drove away, leaving her stranded.

The council launched an investigation after receiving a complaint. When interviewed, Mukhtar stated that he had forgotten the law regarding guide dogs.

Representing himself in court, he reiterated: “I was so confused. I forgot you have to take guide dogs. I totally forgot. I know taking a guide dog is very important.”

He claimed he only realised his mistake the next day and that the incident had left him unemployed. When asked why he left a "vulnerable woman with a disability at the roadside," he responded, “I was too confused at that time.”

Mr. Raja pointed out that all drivers receive training on disability awareness, and Mukhtar, who was licensed in 2022, should have been familiar with the law.

Despite the prosecution costs of £1,360 for Bradford Council, Mukhtar was fined £80 and ordered to pay a £32 surcharge and £150 towards the costs, in recognition of his limited income.

Under the Private Hire Vehicles (Carriage of Guide Dogs etc.) Act 2002, it is an offence for a driver to refuse a booking because a person is accompanied by an assistance dog.


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