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Cabbies fearful after firm's licence is granted


HACKNEY carriage cabbies in Middlesbrough are fearing for their trade after a private hire taxi firm was granted a licence to operate from an office yards away from one of their ranks.

At a licensing meeting in Middlesbrough on Monday, Borough Cars was granted a license to operate from an office on Wilson Street - a move that Middlesbrough Hackney carriages felt should not have been allowed to happen.

So ahead of the meeting - Hackney carriage cabbies and members of its association gathered in Middlesbrough town centre to demonstrate ahead of the licensing meeting.

Tony Byng, chairman of Hackney Carriages Association, said: “We wanted to make a stand and show the council that we disagree with the plans so we decided to march to the town hall ahead of the meeting.

“We had some representatives who went along to the meeting and argued the case of Hackney carriage taxi drivers and I feel we put a good case to the panel but unfortunately the license was granted.”

Conditions do stand against the license however such as the applicant should not operate the business in any way which may impede or interfere with the operation of the Hackney carriage ranks on Wilson Street, the Private Hire vehicles may only pick up in the area of Wilson Street to the west of Linthorpe Mews, no private hire vehicles are to be parked at the premises and no driver waiting facilities are to be provided at the premises.

But despite these conditions, Mr Byng still feels the license should not have been granted.


He said: “It seems hypocritical to me seeing as we once had an application for a rank refused because it would have been in close proximity to a private firm but now its in reverse they have allowed it to happen.

“Another issue is that because we have a rank on Wilson Street, there is also the issue of congestion and public safety to consider.”

A spokesman for Middlesbrough Council said: “After considering the report which highlighted concerns in relation to traffic congestion in this area of Wilson Street at peak times and after hearing representations from both parties, members decided to grant the licence as they considered the applicant to be fit and proper.

“With regard to both private hire and Hackney carriages operating on Wilson Street, the committee felt that so long as all drivers adhere to the law, park only where they are legally entitled to do so and in a safe manner then their decision to grant the licence would not affect public safety or congestion. Anyone acting irresponsibly may be dealt with accordingly.

“In relation to the statement from the Hackney Carriage Association that they have had a rank refused due to the close proximity of the proposed rank to a private hire firm, the Council can find no record of this and have asked for clarification.

"However, the considerations for the grant of a Private Hire Operator licence are different to those which are considered following a request for a Hackney Carriage rank.”



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_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

How does that stand with the people who say that private hire must return to base after they drop their punters?

_________________
Grandad,

Email probe in Middlesbrough cab licensing row

Jan 5 2011 by Laura Woodcock, Evening Gazette
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AN INVESTIGATION is to begin after a confidential document was allegedly emailed by a licensing officer at Middlesbrough Council.

Licensing officers recently granted permission for Boro Cars to operate from an office on Wilson Street in Middlesbrough.

Since then, it has been alleged that a confidential report relating to a previous application for a private hire operators’ licence for the premises was revealed by one of the licensing officers.

Christine Bell, manager at Boro Cars, said: “We are extremely concerned that it was revealed at the licensing committee by the Hackney carriage representatives that upon request they had been emailed by a licensing officer a confidential grey paper report appertaining to a previous licence application for a private hire operators’ licence for the premises at Wilson Street.

“The licensing authority sits in a quasi-legal capacity and to restore public confidence in circumstances where confidentiality has been blatantly breached, we expect the council to carry out a full and proper independent investigation in to this matter.”

A spokesman for Middlesbrough Council said: “The council has accepted that the matter requires investigation and has assigned an investigating officer.”

The licence had already been the subject of controversy after Hackney carriage cabbies felt it should not have been granted due to fears over their trade.

But Ms Bell said the additional booking office was to provide an improved, safer service.

She said: “Customers will now be able to wait in a safe and comfortable environment. This decision is in the interests of public safety which we believe is paramount and we welcome that the licensing committee granted the licence.”