Blackburn family's anger after taxis refuse to carry wheelchair user

2:00pm Saturday 20th October 2012 in News

A FAMILY said they were left angry and embarrassed when two specially adapted black cabs refused to carry their wheelchair user son.

Blackburn mum Anette McDermott and her son Darrell, 26, were shopping with their disabled son and brother Ashley, 24 when they claim they were told, ‘I don’t do wheelchairs’ by one driver and waved away by a second.

The pair said both drivers outside Blackburn market were driving newer model cabs, designed to accommodate wheelchairs.

Now Blackburn with Darwen Council is set to investigate what happened.

The trio were laden down with bags and were looking for a disability adapted cab in order to get Ashley, who suffers from cerebral palsy and epilepsy, home.

Their story has angered disability campaigner and former Hyndburn mayor Malcolm Pritchard who said the licences of the drivers involved should be investigated.

The McDermotts said the first cab driver, whose taxi was equipped with a ramp, gave no reason for his refusal while another with an adapted taxi said he had an injured arm.

Darrell, 26, who is his brother’s full time carer, said: “Ashley knew he was being turned down for a cab and it was upsetting for him. The first guy who turned us away just waved at us and didn’t give a reason, even though his taxi has a ramp.

“The second one said ‘I don’t do wheelchairs’ and another driver said he had a bad arm and couldn’t lift anything.

“I explained I would do all the lifting, but that wasn’t good enough. He just wouldn’t let us.”

Anette, who works full time with disabled children at Oswaldtwistle’s Hargreaves House, said the cab drivers’ refusal to let them in the taxi caused an embarrassing scene which upset her son.

She said: “People were starting to gather and stare and we just had to walk away.”

Coun Pritchard, whose son Mark is also a wheelchair user, said: “I think this family having to go through this is disgusting. They deserve to be treated with a bit of dignity and not discriminated against in that way. I think the provision of cabs and drivers for the disabled in Blackburn needs to be urgently looked into to.”

Blackburn with Darwen Council said it was illegal for drivers to refuse to carry a wheelchair user without a medical exemption certificate and they would fully investigate all complaints.

Comments(18)

speaks the facts says...
2:15pm Sat 20 Oct 12

Take their licenses off them !

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drunken donut says...
2:45pm Sat 20 Oct 12

speaks the facts wrote:
Take their licenses off them !
I wonder what their ethnicity is?

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HarryBosch says...
3:03pm Sat 20 Oct 12

As was said by BwDBC spokesman, it is illegal for a hackney driver to refuse to carry this passenger. The relevant legislation can be found in a number of acts including The Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act and Ghent Town Police Clauses Act. All licensed taxi drivers are fully aware that refusing to carry passengers can lead to the loss of Thierry license"s. Therefore there is only one possible outcome - identify them and take away thier license and let someone who is prepared to abide by the law take thier place. Hackney licences are limited. There will be somebody ready and willing to step into thier place.

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HarryBosch says...
3:06pm Sat 20 Oct 12

I apologise for the spelling errors in my post. Predictive text took over in my moment of anger!

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maz;0) says...
3:06pm Sat 20 Oct 12

They charge the earth when they do have to take a wheelchair! I had same problem with an Accrington taxi firm, they charged £8 from baxenden to Accrington, for a 1 mile journey! normally a cost of around £3, driver did no lifting because I pushed the wheelchair up the ramp into the cab, they need reporting, and it needs looking into for trying to rip off disabled people!

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ghanto says...
4:05pm Sat 20 Oct 12

NO BIG DEAL THE WHEEL CHAIR FACILITY WAS OUT OF ORDER FULL STOP

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HarryBosch says...
4:22pm Sat 20 Oct 12

ghanto wrote:
NO BIG DEAL THE WHEEL CHAIR FACILITY WAS OUT OF ORDER FULL STOP
The taxi must be in full working order or it is not supposed to be on the road. Same legislation. There are no excuses!

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2fish1pound says...
5:18pm Sat 20 Oct 12

BA8TARDS !! they wouldnt do it if it was a member of there family

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ste6976 says...
7:20pm Sat 20 Oct 12

under the DDA (disability discrimination act) for the thick inpolite taxi drivers of blackburn. It is now against the law to refuse and passengers disabled or not access to there vehicle. I work in the transport industry and i would have been fired for doing that to any passenger. They should be named and shamed and like Harrybosch said if its not working then the vehicle should not be on the road. Whats your betting that ghanto is an asian taxi driver sticking up for his brothers. rant over

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tenerc says...
7:22pm Sat 20 Oct 12

This is nothing new, a relative had to get to a wedding so booked a taxi that could take a wheelchair, price given when booking was “no more then £7” when we got to the wedding he wanted more, as he had to charge more as it was an “adapted taxi” I told him no way, £7 was all he was getting, and does he charge ALL he passengers more to use his taxi.

next day contacted the town hall, and to put it blunt, they where all talk and no action, infact they backed up the driver more then us “how much was on the meter” he didn`t put it on “how much did you agree before the journey” I had to explain to the guy that if HE had got that taxi he would NOT have been charged more. They said they would look into it and let us know. Never heard from them again.

So these drivers will get away scot free.

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Excluded again says...
8:27pm Sat 20 Oct 12

Its not clear from the story if they took the taxi cab number.

As taxi numbers are not transferable, if you take the number it is easy for the Council to identify who was the driver. Always take the number and always report the number.

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HarryBosch says...
8:56pm Sat 20 Oct 12

A further note on complaining about taxi's, private hire or hackney carriages. All taxis and taxi drivers must be licensed. The vehicles have a plate on the rear with an identity number on it and the drivers need to wear a badge, also with an identity number on it. If you have an issue with a driver, take these numbers down. Ask the driver for them if necessary, they are obliged to give them to you. Complain to the company first and if you are not satisfied, complain to the council. If you are still not satisfied sue them in the small claims court. You can get their name and address from the taxi license register held by the council. It's a public record and anybody has access to it in person at the council office's.

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coolheadedBB2 says...
10:12pm Sat 20 Oct 12

ghanto wrote:
NO BIG DEAL THE WHEEL CHAIR FACILITY WAS OUT OF ORDER FULL STOP
think before you speak. taxis have to have two mot's a year to make they are safe.

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coolheadedBB2 says...
10:14pm Sat 20 Oct 12

to make sure they are safe, that was ment to say.

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acnedriver says...
9:53am Sun 21 Oct 12

Many people on her do not know the Law. Please read section 36(6) of the DDA act .

(6)In any proceedings for an offence under this section, it is a defence for the accused to show that, even though at the time of the alleged offence the taxi conformed with those provisions of the taxi accessibility regulations with which it was required to conform, it would not have been possible for the wheelchair in question to be carried in safety in the taxi.

The taxi driver has to make a risk assessment, if he thinks its not safe, its not safe

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HarryBosch says...
11:13am Sun 21 Oct 12

acnedriver wrote:
Many people on her do not know the Law. Please read section 36(6) of the DDA act .

(6)In any proceedings for an offence under this section, it is a defence for the accused to show that, even though at the time of the alleged offence the taxi conformed with those provisions of the taxi accessibility regulations with which it was required to conform, it would not have been possible for the wheelchair in question to be carried in safety in the taxi.

The taxi driver has to make a risk assessment, if he thinks its not safe, its not safe
Under what possible circumstances do
you think that it would be unsafe to carry a wheelchair bound passenger in a purpose built wheelchair accessible taxi? This section provides a safeguard to the driver in EXCEPTIONAL circumstances ie faulty wheelchair or a passenger who is having a fit. If you don't want to conform to the law get out of the job - you are not fit to call yourself a professional driver!

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easypeasy says...
2:11pm Mon 22 Oct 12

coolheadedBB2 wrote:
ghanto wrote:
NO BIG DEAL THE WHEEL CHAIR FACILITY WAS OUT OF ORDER FULL STOP
think before you speak. taxis have to have two mot's a year to make they are safe.
Dont make me laugh. Every time the council has a splurge on checking taxis many are unsafe or not roadworthy. As for the drivers they are a law unto themselves they speed, have no respect for other road users & fail any customer care charging what they want. These are meant to be professional drivers NODDY drives a lot better & more safely.

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dineshsjce says...
1:48pm Tue 23 Oct 12

taxis should have humanity.
http://www.wheelchai
rsmanufacturers.in

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