Taxi Driver Online

Cabbies protest at licence plans
Black cab drivers are holding a go-slow protest in Salford in protest at plans to hand out more licences.

Motorists are being advised to avoid Eccles as Hackney Carriage drivers begin their crawl down Eccles Old Road to Salford Precinct at 1700 BST.

The drivers are in dispute with Salford City Council over plans to increase the number of black cabs on the roads.

The council said the increase, which is still under consultation, would provide a better service for customers.


This guidance says that there is no particular reason why Hackney cab licences should be limited

Councillor Keith Mann, Salford City Council
Paul Joy, a Salford taxi driver and secretary for the union Unite, told the BBC the proposals would undermine cab wages.

"We're at a very low ebb because of the economic climate," said Mr Joy.

"So we've already taken a cut in wages because the business isn't there, and this will just make matters worse."

Scaled back

Councillor Keith Mann, Salford City Council's licensing spokesman, said a decision had yet to be made on the changes.

"The proposal to lift the restrictions on the number of black Hackney cabs in Salford follows national guidance issued by the government which the majority of cities in the country have already adopted.

"This guidance says that there is no particular reason why Hackney cab licences should be limited.

"Taxis, whether private hire vehicles or Hackney cabs provide a public service and as a licensing authority we have a duty to ensure that we are regulating operators to ensure quality and public safety."

Protests were also expected to take place in the Pendleton and Salford Quays areas, but were scaled back.

Up to 75,000 football supporters are travelling to Old Trafford for the Champions League semi-final between Manchester United and Arsenal.

A go-slow protest in the Quays area was likely to have caused widespread disruption on roads in the area.

does anyone know how the protest went

All I heard on the radio was it would be scaled down to about 60 cabs at the protest

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!