TWO taxi drivers have been prosecuted for refusing to carry a blind person with their guide dog.

Talib Hussain, 51, of Chevron Close, Marland, Rochdale, was fined £125 and Mohammed Idress, 37, of Bolton Road, Sudden, was fined £100 at Rochdale Magistrates' Court.

The pair, who both drive Hackney cabs, were also ordered to pay £128 costs for refusing to take the blind passenger and the dog from a rank on Station Road, Rochdale.

It is the first time Rochdale council has prosecuted taxi drivers for the offence, which is against the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 - making it unlawful to discriminate against disabled people when providing goods or services.

Beverley Wilkinson, the council's licensing manager, said: "We prosecuted Mr Hussain and Mr Idress for refusing to allow a disabled passenger to take their guide dog with them on a journey.

'Clear breach'

"We saw this as a clear breach of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and had no hesitation in taking the case to court."

She added: "Although this is the first case like this we have taken to court, the council is prepared to take legal action against any other taxi drivers who discriminate against disabled people in this way."

Mike Tyerman, from the Greater Manchester district team of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, said they encourage guide dog owners to pursue complaints.

"Somewhere in our country, every day a taxi is not turning up or driving off or refusing a service," he said.

"We do get people saying that they won't use a particular taxi firm but sometimes it just comes down to individual taxi drivers."

Mr Tyerman said the reasons that drivers give most often are that they are allergic to dogs or that it conflicts with their religion or cultural beliefs.

He added: "I think it tends to be individual drivers and a misunderstanding from a religious context.

"We tend to get most concern from the Muslim community but when we talk to somebody well versed in Muslim texts they say that guide dogs and working dogs should be no problem."