A Cambridgeshire private hire driver has had his licence suspended after he cancelled a booking once he realised his passenger was blind and travelling with a guide dog — a case that the licensing authority hopes will serve as a serious warning to the trade.
Muhammad Ramiz, 39, of Melrose, Meldreth, was originally stripped of his private hire driver’s licence by South Cambridgeshire District Council in July 2024 after an investigation. He appealed within the 21-day window, and the case was heard at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on 6 May 2026.
The court heard that Ramiz had accepted a job through an operator and confirmed via the booking app that he was on his way to collect the passenger. The complainant — who said he had previously experienced refusals and discrimination because of his guide dog — then messaged the driver to explain he was blind and travelling with an assistance dog. Shortly afterwards, Ramiz cancelled the booking with no explanation given.
When the council investigated, Ramiz claimed he had accepted the job by accident and cancelled because of severe congestion on the A1 so a closer driver could pick the passenger up. He later contradicted himself in a court statement, claiming it had been localised traffic. GPS data supplied by the operator showed there was no congestion at the time on the A505, the A1, or any of the surrounding local roads.
The council’s case relied on the Equality Act 2010, which makes it a criminal offence for a licensed taxi or private hire driver to refuse to carry an assistance dog without a medical exemption certificate. There is no general “I don’t like dogs” exemption — exemptions are tightly defined and require sign-off from a registered health practitioner on medical grounds.
At the appeal, the District Judge allowed Ramiz’s appeal in part: the full revocation was lifted, and replaced with a three-month suspension. The council was awarded £2,000 in costs, and the complainant was awarded £100 in compensation.
Cllr Natalie Warren-Green, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Lead Cabinet Member for Licensing, said: “If at any point Ramiz fails to comply with the court order his licence will be revoked. Licensed drivers should ensure that they are fully aware of their responsibilities and duties towards the public to ensure they do not discriminate against anyone; particularly those with disabilities.”
She added that the council “will not hesitate” to take enforcement action against drivers who breach legislation, policy and licence conditions.
There’s a wider point for drivers here. Assistance dog refusals are one of the easier offences for a council to evidence — there’s a booking record, often an app message thread, and in many cases GPS data from the operator. Once a complaint comes in, it’s not a he-said-she-said situation. If a driver genuinely has a medical reason for not being able to carry dogs, the answer is to apply for an exemption certificate through the licensing authority. Refusing on the day, by cancelling the job, will end the same way most of these cases end: with the licence in question.
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