Taxi Driver Fined for Refusing Service to Disabled Woman with Assistance Dog
Taxi driver slapped with £200 fine after refusing disabled woman with assistance dog
Image: Birmingham Live
A taxi driver in Stoke-on-Trent, England, was fined over £200 for refusing a booking that included a disabled woman with an assistance dog. Aras Abdullah claimed he had an allergy to pet hair but did not possess an exemption certificate, which is required by law. He received a conditional discharge from magistrates.
- 01Aras Abdullah, 47, was fined £200 and given a 12-month conditional discharge for refusing to accept a booking with an assistance dog.
- 02The incident occurred in July at Stoke Station when Abdullah claimed he was unaware of the assistance dog at the time of the booking.
- 03He argued that he returned the booking due to an allergy to pet hair, but the law mandates acceptance of assistance dogs unless an exemption certificate is held.
- 04The court heard that Abdullah has been a taxi driver for several years without prior complaints regarding his service.
- 05His defense highlighted that he only recently discovered his allergy and lacked the necessary exemption certificate.
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Aras Abdullah, a 47-year-old taxi driver from Blurton, Stoke-on-Trent, has been fined over £200 after refusing a fare that included a disabled woman with an assistance dog. The incident took place in July when Abdullah, who claimed to have an allergy to pet hair, was assigned the booking through an automated system without prior knowledge of the dog's presence. He argued that he returned the booking for health reasons, stating he had done nothing wrong. However, the law requires taxi drivers to accept assistance dogs unless they possess an exemption certificate, which Abdullah did not have. He pleaded guilty to failing to accept a booking for a disabled person accompanied by an assistance dog. In addition to the fine, he received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay a £26 victim surcharge. Abdullah's defense emphasized that he has been a complaint-free taxi driver for years and only recently became aware of his allergy, which prevented him from obtaining the necessary certificate.
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This ruling reinforces the legal obligations of taxi drivers to accommodate disabled passengers with assistance dogs, ensuring equal access to transport services.
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