Move to make it a criminal offence for Highland taxi drivers to refuse disabled passengers
Highland councillors have moved a step closer to making it a criminal offence for taxi drivers to refuse a fare from someone in a wheelchair.
Highland Council’s licensing committee supported the idea of creating a list of all wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs).
The move would affect all vehicles licensed as either taxis or private hire cars across the region.
Should any driver with a WAV on the list subsequently refuse a fare from a disabled person, they could be charged with a criminal offence.
The plan will now go out to public consultation.
The chairman of the licensing committee, Councillor Andrew Jarvie, who is himsef a wheelchair user, strongly welcomed the move as a step in the right direction.
He said: “This is an excellent first step towards making life a little easier for disabled people in Highland.
“This list, if adopted, would make it easier to find firms with WAVs and allow swift action against any discrimination.”
