A BLIND woman had to wait 40 minutes for a lift from a Bolton taxi firm after being told most drivers would refuse to carry her guide dog.

Michelle Chadwick had been visiting her friend, who rang St George's Road-based private hire firm Defido's Taxis at 11.20pm to book a car.

She says she was initially told it would arrive in 10 to 15 minutes. But when Rachel Smith, of Dougill Street, Bolton, mentioned Michelle was being accompanied by her guide dog, Kasey, the firm then said it would take longer.

Rachel was told that the majority of the firm's drivers refuse to carry dogs in their cars and so it would take extra time to find someone who would.

"I was pretty angry about it," said Rachel. "It is so ridiculous. Taxi drivers don't mind having drunks in their cars but not guide dogs."

She added that Kasey sits quietly in the footwell of a car and does not leave hairs on seats.

It is not the first time Michelle has had trouble finding transport home to Radcliffe.

Two years ago she was featured in the BEN after being stranded by a firm which refused to take Kasey and there was talk of Bolton Council changing licensing requirements to force drivers to carry guide dogs. But since then the Disability Discrimination Act has come into force which requires Hackney carriages to take guide dogs but does not apply to private hire cars.

Bolton Council's licensing agreements still do not currently make it a requirement either, although principal trading standards officer Andrew Fisher said licensing conditions are currently being reviewed.

Cllr Bernard Ramsden, chairman of Bolton's environment and consumer sub-committee, said he would be in favour of making it compulsory for private hire drivers to carry guide dogs when requested.

An operator at Defido's Taxis confirmed that the majority of their drivers will not carry any dogs.

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