Nearby Taxis, which operates in Consett, will refuse a booking rather than accept a passenger who asks not to be sent a Muslim or foreign driver. The Northern Echo reported the firm's statement on 19 October 2026.
What the booking staff were asked
The firm says the examples are genuine. Passengers have told booking staff "Don't send me a Muslim driver" and "I don't want a foreign driver." This is a problem the firm has been dealing with "for far too long".
The Echo names no passenger and no driver, and gives no number of requests.
What the firm will do
"Racism has no place at Nearby Taxis. Our drivers come from different backgrounds, nationalities, cultures and religions. They work long hours, support their families and help thousands of people get where they need to be. Some were born and raised here. Others have made this country their home. But every single one deserves the same basic respect."
Thousands is the firm's own figure.
Passengers with a genuine concern about a driver, or about the service they received, should still come forward. The firm will listen, investigate and take appropriate action. A legitimate complaint is not the same as refusing a driver because of race, nationality or religion.
"Being Muslim does not make someone an unsafe driver. Being foreign does not make someone less professional. And having a different background does not make someone less deserving of respect."
Neither the drivers nor the booking staff should have to face racial or religious abuse while doing their jobs. The firm will "not accommodate discriminatory requests, even if that means losing a booking". The decision is about standing up for the staff, not about creating controversy. The overwhelming majority of passengers treat the teams with kindness and respect. That is the firm's description, not an official count.
Nearby Taxis lists Consett among the places it serves.