Cabbie warned in guide dog row

The law requires licensed taxis to carry disabled passengers

A taxi driver who refused to pick up a blind woman and her guide dog has been given a "final warning" by council bosses.

Cabbie William Jukes appeared before councillors in Durham on Friday after onlookers complained about his behaviour.

Mr Jukes refused to carry the woman and her guide dog, because he said it would take him up to 20 minutes to clear up afterwards.

At the hearing, council bosses stopped short of taking away his license, issuing him instead with a final written warning.

They said his conduct would be monitored for 12 months.

Disabled passenger

Mr Jukes apologised for breaching rules which require taxi drivers have to make necessary concessions to carry disabled passengers.

Mr Jukes not only faced losing his licence, but could also have been prosecuted under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

The Act makes it an offence for a licensed taxi to refuse to carry a disabled passenger with a guide dog.

Mr Jukes was told that councillors took a "serious view to his ignorance of the Act".

The hearing was told how Mr Jukes, an owner-driver, refused to pick up the un-named woman and her guide dog on 2 December, 2003.

Members of the public who were at the taxi rank at Durham railway station at the time, complained about his actions.

In a submission to licensing bosses, Mr Jukes said he had picked up the woman and her guide dog, "thousands of times before".

He said he was very busy that morning, and, from past experience, he knew he would have to spend "15 to 20 minutes clearing out the car before taking another fare".