Leicester taxi driver refuses to take blind couple and guide dog

A taxi driver refused to take a blind couple in Leicester because they had a guide dog.

Charles Bloch and Jessica Graham had booked a taxi with ADT Taxis last Friday for them and his guide dog Carlo.

But when the taxi arrived, the driver refused to pick them up, telling them: “Me, I not take the dog”.

Jessica, 21, who is registered blind after being born visually impaired, filmed the encounter and posted footage on her Facebook page.

By today, the short video had been viewed more than one million times on Facebook and on You Tube.

The footage shows Charles, 22, a student at De Montfort University, approaching the cab and asking him why he could not take them.

The driver can be heard saying: “For me, it’s about my religion”.

Charles, who was also born with a visual impairment and is registered blind, says in the video: “By law you can’t deny us...it’s against the disability act of 1995.”

But the driver still refuses to take the couple. He calls the office and asks them to send another taxi.

The footage ends with Charles shouting to the driver: “If you drive away I’ll sue you”.

Charles, who lives with Jessica in the city centre, said: “We are both very angry and upset about this.

“It is not good enough in 2016.”

He said they had been on a day out in Melton after getting a taxi to the train station with ADT taxis in the morning.

Charles said: “We were on the way home with the same firm but even though they had taken us in the morning this driver refused to take us.

“It was crazy. Every time we have to ring a cab our hearts sink because we wonder what reaction we will get.”

ADT Taxis posted a statement on their Facebook page yesterday apologising and saying they were “deeply ashamed” by the conduct of the licensed driver.

Darren Green, office manager at the ADT Taxis in Braunstone Gate, said: “We very much regret this.

“The driver, who is self-employed has only been with us for two months.

“We will not use him again after this. We have 150 drivers working for us and have reported him to the council.

“I am visually impaired myself after suffering a detached retina. We have many customers who are visually impaired.”

A Leicester City Council spokesman said: “Drivers are legally required to accept bookings from passengers with assistance dogs unless the driver has a medical exemption certificate.

“We’re not aware of any taxi drivers in Leicester to which this applies.

“We’ve been in contact with ADT taxis, which have suspended the driver and are considering what further action to take.

“We will be contacting the customer to see whether they are prepared to make a statement, to support us in prosecuting the driver. We will also consider whether there are sufficient grounds to revoke the driver’s licence.”

The full ADT Taxi apology on Facebook

“We are deeply ashamed of the conduct of this Leicester City Council licensed driver and he clearly broke the law after not accepting a booking we gave to him on religious grounds and has been dispensed with as well as being reported to the council.

“The driver is now free to work for any firm he chooses.

“Our policy is clear, we do not discriminate, however in the taxi trade drivers are self employed and free to take work from any source, ie Uber / any other private hire firm.

“If we have drivers reported to us for breaking terms of their license, we cut them off from our bookings system and no longer use their service.

“The manager is contacting the customer concerned, and will offer him a full apology and some free journeys.”

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