A TAXI driver has been suspended after leaving two blind people and their guide dogs on the street because he has a phobia' of dogs.

Abdul Rehman Shah has been banned from holding a hackney carriage driver's licence for three months for refusing to allow David McGee and Christine Jeal into his taxi.

Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, hackney carriage drivers are required to carry guide, hearing and other assistance dogs with passengers.

Mr Shah, of Preston, was called to the Farmers Arms in Lancaster to take Mr McGee to his Scale Hall address on March 31 at 11.30pm.

"I opened the door of the car and attempted to board but Mr Shah immediately refused to allow me or my guide dog Denby to enter his car," says Mr McGee.

"I tried to point out that the dog was in a harness and therefore working, but he refused to listen and continued repeating me take no dog'."

Earlier that evening, Mr Shah had also refused to drive Christine Jeal, her husband and guide dog.

He told Lancaster City Council's licensing regulatory committee he did not know at the time he was acting illegally.

Mr Shah said it was not against his religion to carry a guide dog but said he had once been bitten by a dog in Pakistan and was scared' of them.

He said he did not understand the document explaining rules and procedures for taxi drivers from the council.

"Sometimes I have difficulty in reading English. I should have read it properly but I did not," said Mr Shah, whose brother helped to interpret at the hearing.

On suspending Mr Shah, who had only held a licence for six weeks, committee chair Cllr John Harrison said: "This is a very serious incident. Our purpose is to protect the public and you accrued 30 points in one evening and were discourteous."

After the meeting, Mr McGee, who has been registered blind for 20 years and, said the committee had not been strict enough.

"He should have had his licence revoked for 12 months. Because it is the first time it has happened around here they needed to stress the seriousness of it but I do not think they have. It gives out the wrong message."

Mr Shah plans to appeal against the decision.