Clause 1 - Carrying of guide dogs, hearing dogs and other assistance dogs
Private Hire Vehicles (Carriage of Guide Dogs etc.) Bill
10:30 am
Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow, Labour)
I beg to move amendment No. 1, in page 1, line 4, leave out from beginning to end of line 19 and insert—
'37A Carrying of assistance dogs in private hire vehicles
(1) It is an offence for the operator of a private hire vehicle to fail or refuse to accept a booking for a private hire vehicle—
(a) if the booking is requested by or on behalf of a disabled person, or a person who wishes a disabled person to accompany him; and
(b) the reason for the failure or refusal is that the disabled person will be accompanied by his assistance dog.
(2) It is an offence for the operator of a private hire vehicle to make an additional charge for carrying an assistance dog which is accompanying a disabled person.
(3) It is an offence for the driver of a private hire vehicle to fail or refuse to carry out a booking accepted by the operator of the vehicle—
(a) if the booking was made by or on behalf of a disabled person, or a person who wishes a disabled person to accompany him; and
(b) the reason for the failure or refusal is that the disabled person is accompanied by his assistance dog.
(4) A person who is guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.'.