Taxi Driver Online

The Sunderland Echo

July 5, 2007

Cabbies threaten strike action

A bitter dispute is threatening to engulf Sunderland's taxi industry as fed-up drivers threaten strike action.

Hackney carriage drivers are considering withdrawing their services amid claims "magpie" out-of-town cabs are coming into the city to poach their fares.

Others say they are being forced to work 90 hours a week just to keep their heads above water as takings nosedive.

The fed-up cabbies are demanding action after spotting drivers from as far afield as Weardale and Peterlee touting for business in the city centre.

Michael Young, a Sunderland taxi driver for 28 years, said: "This is the worst I have ever known it.

"Nothing seems to be happening about it, so we've been left with no choice but to consider strike action."

Strict laws prevent private hire cars from randomly picking up passengers, stating they must only be used for customers who have booked ahead.

But city hackney drivers say rogue cabbies are blatantly ignoring the rules and taking the bread out of their mouths.

Mr Young, 50, said: "A lot of the drivers are ready to take some kind of action because they are facing losing their livelihood."

Discussions are now underway where hackney cabs could withdraw themselves from service at certain times of the day.

With the main taxi bases now centred around Green Terrace, Vine Place and Park Lane, rogue private hire cabs have been spotted "bushwacking" fares as they approach the ranks.

One driver, who says he never gets time to see his young family any more, added: "They sit there, blatantly picking up off the streets before the customer even reaches Park Lane.

"I'm having to work 90 hours a week at the minute but, even then, the private hires are murdering us.

The drivers, who say they often pay up to £250 a year to use hackney cabs, claim the poaching has created massive ill feeling within the taxi-driving community.

Private hire drivers face losing their licence or picking up a fine if they are caught acting illegally. While, police have special taxi marshals in place to try and combat this type of activity.

Kevin Rennison, 42, a private cab driver for 15 years who left the industry two years ago, said: "I don't understand why they just can't make all taxis the same. That's what it's like in Peterlee and it seems to work well there."

Licensing officers from Sunderland Council do carry out covert operations in a bid to identify any illegal touting for fares but drivers claim they don't have the resources to tackle the full extent of the problem.

A spokesman from the council said: "Licensing officers regularly undertake enforcement activities of the type called for by some parts of the hackney carriage trade during the busy periods, particularly late Saturday nights.

"We cannot, however, provide a blanket presence each weekend and private hire operators may be tempted to risk getting caught out.

"As well as the direct enforcement approach licensing officers are also working with colleagues in the council and with Northumbria Police to control access to key areas in the city centre by licensed vehicles thereby limiting opportunities for illegal plying for hire."
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IDFIMH

It concerns me that if everyone is HC then everyone will have to comply with the DDA ................. if everyone has to comply to the DDA is it not a possibility that we may see many saloon vehicles "dropping their friends" off.

Also would we not see a reduction in the number of vehicles available for telephone bookings .................... would drivers remain at an office paying £100 a week for work when they would be forced into a WAV costing possibly double the price of a saloon.

I cannot understand this sort of $hit at all ................. PHV are not used during peak periods as customers are told the quickest car will be 2 hours or the office is fully booked ................ how much of this lack of service would increase if all the vehicles were chasing that good job off the rank instead of doing their regular "bread and butter" work.

The answer to this question is stricter enforcement employed on a FULL TIME basis ............... out there when these criminals are out breaking the law EVERY NIGHT.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

But shouldn't it be down to the driver to decide for him/herself?

You will get the thick drivers binning the radios and working the city ranks with all the other dumbos.

But you will get the sensible ones working the same areas they do at the mo, albeit with a license to pick up from the ranks and streets.

It's a win win situation.

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IDFIMH

The reason some folks wait for up to two hours for a PH is evidence that they know what they are doing and the other side don't.

If folks are prepared to wait up to two hours for a PH, rather than take a chance at the rank, then that tells me one side of the trade has lost the war.

But then again you have always got the likes of Taxicall to bail your lot out.

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IDFIMH

Funny place Gateshead - people are waiting two hours for a phoned cab, yet cabs are sitting two hours on the ranks waiting for a job

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