An Essex taxi driver has been fined over £1,000 after refusing to carry a blind passenger accompanied by a guide dog, in a clear breach of equality law.
Ovidiu Budulan, who operates a hackney carriage, pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on 24 July to breaching the Equality Act 2010. The offence took place last August at a taxi rank in Witham, where Budulan declined to allow a registered blind individual and their assistance dog into his vehicle. Another driver at the rank stepped in to transport the passenger.
The court imposed a £325 fine on Budulan, alongside a £130 victim surcharge and £600 in costs payable to Braintree District Council, which brought the case to court.
Councillor Mary Cunningham, Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities at Braintree District Council, said:
“This case sends a clear message that discrimination against passengers with a disability will not be tolerated. Refusing service in this way is both unlawful and unfair. Guide dogs are essential companions, not optional extras.”
Under the Equality Act, licensed drivers are legally required to carry assistance dogs unless they have a medical exemption certificate. The charity Guide Dogs states that drivers must still help the passenger find alternative transport if an exemption applies.
The successful prosecution highlights the importance of upholding the rights of disabled passengers and ensuring that all drivers understand their responsibilities under the law.
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