Part 12Disabled persons: transport

Chapter 1Taxis, etc.

170Assistance dogs in private hire vehicles

1

The operator of a private hire vehicle commits an offence by failing or refusing to accept a booking for the vehicle—

a

if the booking is requested by or on behalf of a disabled person or a person who wishes to be accompanied by a disabled person, and

F3b

the reason for the failure or refusal is—

i

that the disabled person will be accompanied by an assistance dog, or

ii

to prevent the driver of the private hire vehicle being made subject to a duty which would otherwise be imposed on the driver by this section.

2

The operator F6or driver of a private hire vehicle commits an offence by making F5, or proposing to make, an additional charge for carrying an assistance dog which is accompanying a disabled person.

3

The driver of a private hire vehicle commits an offence by failing or refusing to carry out a booking accepted by the operator—

a

if the booking is made by or on behalf of a disabled person or a person who wishes to be accompanied by a disabled person, and

b

the reason for the failure or refusal is that the disabled person is accompanied by an assistance dog.

4

A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

5

In this section—

  • “driver” means a person who holds a licence under—

    1. a

      section 13 of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 F2...,

    2. b

      section 51 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 F1..., or

    3. c

      an equivalent provision of a local enactment;

  • “licensing authority”, in relation to any area in England and Wales, means the authority responsible for licensing private hire vehicles in that area;

  • F4...

  • F4...