NEW laws to protect disabled taxi passengers from being over charged or discriminated against in Wiltshire have been welcomed by a Westbury mum.

Karen Tilley had a humiliating experience when she and her wheelchair-using daughter Josselin were turned away by taxis in Bristol last year.

Wiltshire Council has now agreed to bring in Section 167 of the Equality Act 2010, which means taxi drivers face a fine of up to £1,000 if they refuse to transport wheelchair users or attempt to charge them extra.

Wiltshire was included by charity Muscular Dystrophy UK on a list of councils who did not have a Section 167 list of disabled-friendly taxis, but councillors recently voted to create one.

Karen, of Bitham Mill, Westbury who was humiliated when she and Josselin, who is registered blind and deaf, were turned away by taxi drivers.

The three drivers had their licences suspended by the city council in February.

She said: “Our experience really did make us think twice about travelling by taxi again.

“If this can prevent others from having the same experience that we did it then it is really important.

“This could be a really positive step and something that more councils really should do.”

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: “ No decision had been made regarding the implementation of the section 167.

“However, it was due to go to committee for a final decision shortly after.

“The decision was made to implement the changes.

The list of vehicles for section 167 is available at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/licences-permits-transport. “The list we have made includes contact details to aid booking vehicles.”

Nic Bungay, Director of Campaigns, Care and Information at Muscular Dystrophy UK, said: “We are pleased to see that Wiltshire Council has now created a Section 167 list. Without one, taxi drivers who overcharged or refused to transport wheelchair users could not be fined and held to account. Muscular Dystrophy UK is calling for the Department for Transport to tighten its guidance to protect disabled taxi users, but in the meantime we would strongly urge all councils to follow the example of Wiltshire Council and create a list, if they haven’t already.”