Walk-out vow in 'taxi' civil war
Taxi drivers are to act as spies in a bid to catch rivals they claim are stealing their trade.
Charlie Oakes, chairman of the Bolton, Bury and Preston Hackney Carriage Association, said it would be sending its members out to stand around illegal ranks it claims are being formed by private hire drivers on Preston’s streets.
He has said the threat of his members going on strike or staging a go-slow protest around the city was also “still on the table.”
The association met with licensing chiefs at Preston Council recently to discuss concerns after a growing number of reports that private hire cabs were picking up fares which have not been booked.
Mr Oakes said: “We will be putting people out on the streets who are not known to the private hire trade and seeing if this is happening.
“If it is, we will take their details and gather our own bank of evidence to ensure these people are brought to book.
“Our members are out there to make a living and provide a service and this action by a minority of the private hire trade is making that impossible - all we want is a level playing field.”
But, today, the owner of one of Preston’s best-known cab firms said private hire drivers were “frightened” to pick up fares which were not booked after a number of sting operations by council licensing officials.
Mick Rooney, who runs Ribbleton Taxis, said that the problem had started to be enforced more strictly in recent years.
He said: “You don’t get points on your licence and get your taxi licence revoked, it’s your job that’s gone and everything.
“If you have been out and bought a half-decent car and got a licence, are you going to put all that at risk for a quick fare?
“The Hackney drivers are looking round trying to find someone to blame (for less work) but if people aren’t going to pubs they don’t need taxis.”
The Evening Post understands there is evidence of Hackney drivers illegally ranking in Lune Street, Glover’s Court and Friargate in recent months.
Mike Thorpe, head of licensing at the council, said crackdowns over plying for hire had been carried out, leading to three prosecutions pending, and said more action was planned.
He said: “We’ve got some information and we’re going to target some.
“We’ve only (got) limited enforcement resources and we welcome information on the trade out there which will help us direct our resources appropriately.
“We do have regular operations with the assistance of the police where plain clothes officers approach private hire drivers parked in the city centre to ask whether they’re free.
“If they reply in the affirmative they are cautioned and prosecuted at the magistrates’ court.
“While there’s the offence of illegally plying for hire, there’s another offence which is no valid insurance. People should not get in private hire vehicles unless they’ve pre-booked them because they’re not insured.
“We also take action against Hackney drivers for ranking up at non-designated ranks.”
source:
http://www.lep.co.uk/news/
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