Taxi driver who refused to pick up guide dog and owner has licence suspended

A taxi driver who refused to pick up a guide dog and his owners has had his licence suspended.

Abdulsalam Idlebi appeared before the North Ayrshire Licensing Committee on Wednesday after an allegation of discrimination by refusing to take a guide dog and his owners as a taxi hire, or refusing to undertake a hire in North Ayrshire without a reasonable explanation.

Licensing officer Drew Robertson said: “There was a failure to adhere to North Ayrshire policy on guide dogs or, without a reasonable explanation, failing to adhere to passenger hires.

“Mr Idlebi has lived here now for nine years and has held a licence since last January, with a renewal pending.

“There have been no previous complaints regarding him

“For the past 12 years, Mr McDonald, 71, has been registered blind and three years ago he got Laurence, a Standard Poodle-Labrador cross.

“Laurence is a working dog and guide dog, and his lead has an identifier saying he is a guide dog.”

The McDonalds and Laurence had finished shopping on the night in question and walked around the corner to the taxi rank and approached a blue Skoda.

Mr McDonald started removing the dog’s harness while his wife, Mary, opened the front passenger door. The driver said he could not take them as he was allergic to dogs, but Mr McDonald said that was illegal.

Then Mrs McDonald moved to the next taxi, where there was no such problem, and they went home.

A member of the public took a picture of the offender’s car.

The committee played a video which showed the driver turning them down.

Mr Robertson said that when the driver was interviewed, he later admitted he was not allergic to dogs but frightened of them, and he was asked to visit a GP if he wished for an exemption.

He apologised for the distress he had caused.

Guide dogs, the official said, were classed as medical aids.

The Licence holder must carry the dog and allow it to remain with the owner.

Mrs McDonald said: “We were walking around for a taxi, expecting to get home, and every time we walked around the corner, we thought ‘Who is not going to take us this time because of the dog?’. They always say there is a reason they cannot take the dog.

“Billy gets stressed, and he gets agitated, and that gets me agitated.”

Committee chair Eleanor Collier said: “It is very disappointing for this committee to hear this. We have a zero tolerance policy and have worked really hard on this issue since this committee was formed three and a half years ago. It is outrageous that you are not getting equal treatment.”

Mr Idlebi said: “This is the first time in this big room I am apologising for what happened. I said the car was registered pet-free with Streamline. I did not notice the sign on the dog; she never told me it was a guide dog.”

Cllr Collier said: “Not once did you get out of your car. The couple are older people, vulnerable. You declined the couple on a wet, dark night – you let them stand on the pavement. If you had got out of your car, you would have seen it was a guide dog. They were standing for some time.”

Mr Idlebi said: “I have picked up guide dogs before.”

Cllr Christina Larsen said: “You are being contradictory, you say you were frightened of dogs but have taken guide dogs before. There is no reason why you would not have seen Laurence wearing a high viz vest; there is a duty of care for you.

“Then you say your boss said the car was pet-free – you are making it up as you go along. These guide dogs, working dogs, are highly trained. You should have known the couple were standing about, and you did not get out when photos were being taken.

“Have you read the licensing conditions?

“We had for a period of time a number of taxi drivers coming before this committee because they refused to take working dogs, one of the reasons we did get was they ‘didn’t know’ and ‘they never told me’. That is unacceptable.

“We take this very seriously, and the committee will come down very hard on taxi drivers who do not obey the law and do not obey the rules.”

Cllr Larsen proposed suspending the licence for 14 day,s and this was seconded by Cllr Ronnie Stalker and unanimously agreed by the committee.

The licence was renewed, but it will be suspended from March 4 to March 18.

Cllr Collier added: “We are disappointed you put our constituents through such an experience of feeling of unequal and not valued. We don’t want to see you back.”

Mr Idlebi apologised again.