News

Guide Dogs No Charge - 01 Apr 2004

It's now against the law for minicab firms to charge extra for their passengers' guide dogs.

As from yesterday, new regulations came into force throughout the UK requiring licensed private hire car drivers to carry guide, hearing and other assistance dogs accompanying a disabled person, and prohibiting them from making any additional charge.

Any driver who fails to comply with legislation will be committing a criminal offence and if convicted could be fined up to ?1,000. Local authorities could also decide to suspend the driver's licence.

Until now a loophole in the law has enabled minicab drivers to discriminate against guide dog owners causing great inconvenience to blind travellers at best and great distress at worst. Research shows that one in 7 older blind and partially sighted people rely on taxis or minicabs as their main source of transport.

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association's Tom Pey said: "This is fantastic news for guide dog owners and other assistance dog owners who have suffered humiliating and distressing experiences as a result of being refused access to private hire care.

"We are delighted that assistance dog users can now look forward to the same rights of access to private hire cars as everyone else."