Taxi Driver Online

Bid to ease restrictions on taxi drivers

Long taxi queues in Aberdeen centre and at the airport have prompted councillors to move to ease restrictions on cab drivers’ licences.

Licensing committee members yesterday stopped short of backing a recommendation to completely scrap Aberdeen’s two taxi zone licences – one of which permits drivers to pick up fares at the airport at Dyce while the other allows the rest of the city.

Instead, councillors agreed that taxi drivers who cover the city should be allowed to pick up from the airport when it is busy, and that the committee would seek to allow drivers at the airport to work in the city centre during the evening at weekends.

The move, which follows months of wrangling, was proposed by council leader John Stewart and Torry councillor Jim Kiddie. It was backed unanimously.

It followed concern from Rainbow Cars managing director Russell McLeod, who warned there would be no reason for drivers to stay at the airport if the city was de-zoned.

“I think, initially, there would be major, major problems at the airport at peak periods,” he said.

Airport taxi driver Ted Leslie was concerned that allowing city drivers to pick up from the airport would be unfair.

“We know that we require help at times but there are also queues in town at times,” he said.

“To allow the city fleet to pick up from the airport would create a two-tier system.”

In response, Mr Stewart and Mr Kiddie proposed a system where airport drivers would be allowed to pick up passengers from Union Street when city centre taxi ranks are moved there at the weekends.

No decision was taken on the plan after the committee’s lawyers said they would need to investigate whether such a move was workable, so councillors agreed to consider it at a later date.

It was agreed that, meanwhile, city drivers should be able to pick up from the airport at peak times.

Aberdeen was split into two zones in 1992, with taxis in the city given yellow plates, while green plates were handed out to those working at the airport – which currently has a contract with the firm ComCab.

A flood of complaints followed from angry holidaymakers who were forced to stand in queues at the airport while they watched taxis zoned for the city drop off fares then drive away empty.

A “green light” system was later introduced at the airport which, when switched on during busy periods, signalled to city drivers that they could pick up people standing in the queues.

The move led to a huge reduction in complaints but breached licensing rules and was illegally operating, until yesterday.

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Whats the difference between what they have proposed and removing the zones, not a lot really

These drivers are probably in a routine of it being crap crap crap crap crap then dead buzy for a spurt and then crap again. Messing about with these two zones which seem wiered anyway would have loads of drivers working the bussiest times in both zones creating a better service for the public but earnings would definately go down.

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Wishing I was in Greenhall Whitley Land.

What they're not saying is that comcab want to charge city drivers £2 a pick up. So much for reducing the queues. It's a licence to print money.

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