A TAXI driver is locked in a battle with education bosses after he was banned from taking autistic kids to school because, it is claimed, he plays the car radio too loud.
Ian Leadbitter, who has been a cabbie for nine years, is fighting for his licence to continue his daily school runs after teachers at Columbia School, Washington, accused him of playing the radio too loud and verbally abusing staff.
Since September, Mr Leadbitter, of Red House, has taken three youngsters to the school each day, but when he dropped them off earlier this month he was devastated to discover that Sunderland's Local Education Authority was stripping him of his school taxi badge.
Teachers told Mr Leadbitter's wife Sharon, who escorts the youngsters to and from the car, that one of the children was coming to school "distressed" after listening to the radio "blasting" on the way to school.
The couple, who have carried out school runs – worth about £1,000 a month – for three years, were told they had already received three warnings, which were ignored.
Mrs Leadbitter, 42, said: "I was stunned because no one had ever said anything to us. It was the first we knew.
"I asked who had complained to us about the radio and was told one of the teachers had come to the car the week before to ask us to turn the radio down.
"My husband came over and asked what the problem was. I told him to get back in the car and we were told we were barred from the school.
"The first thing we knew about this was on December 6 and we have had these kids since September 5."
Mr Leadbitter, 42, who has held school contracts for about three years, admitted he may have raised his voice, but denies swearing at staff or pointing his finger in their faces.
An investigation into the allegations is ongoing, but Mr Leadbitter fears that he has lost the contract for good.
He said: "It would be a kick in the face if they do take it away from me when I've carried out everything to the rules and have made many families happy.
"It was a job I loved and I've lost a form of income that I heavily rely on."
Mrs Leadbitter added: "I was stunned and so upset. It's horrible to have to go through. I'm not a nasty person and the last two weeks have totally disrupted our lives. I just want to clear my name."
A spokesman for Sunderland Council said: "We can confirm the holder of a schools taxi badge has been suspended while a complaint is investigated."
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