Taxi Driver Online

Herald Express (Torquay)

July 2, 2007 Monday

Taxis clash over town centre bays

Torbay's taxi drivers have clashed over plans to install ranks in two of the busiest areas of the town centre.

Private taxi drivers opposed plans to put Hackney carriage-only taxi ranks in Fleet Street, by the post office roundabout and on The Strand.

Paul Filby, owner ofbTorbay Taxis, said there were only 162 Hackney carriages operating in Torbay while more than 300 private taxis were competing for the same work.

He said: "If these ranks are allowed then surely we are looking at restrictive actions against hard working private hire drivers."

The council planned to put 12 Hackney carriage ranks outside Debenhams and Boots in The Strand that would only run once the last bus had gone at midnight.

There would have been three further permanent bays at Fleet Street.

Paul Sneap, from Price First Taxis, said: "A very high percentage of our work comes from the harbour area and we arrange for our customers to be picked up from The Strand. If a rank was to be formed along this area we would not be able to collect our customers."

Private hire drivers also argued that Hackney carriage drivers already had three spaces at the bottom of Abbey Road, adjacent to Rock Road and it was their choice not to use it.

But Derek Haxt, speaking on behalf of the Hackney carriage drivers, said his customers were forced to cross a busy main road to get a taxi at The Strand and that he was mindful of the safety aspect.

The council's licensing committee refused the plans but gave traffic wardens powers to deal with cars parked on the Hackney carriage ranks.
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Herald Express (Torquay)

July 2, 2007 Monday

Hackney drivers demand answers

Taxi drivers in Newton Abbot have delivered a unanimous vote of no confidence into the way Teignbridge Council looks after them.

Some 32 Hackney carriage drivers say they are fed-up with the authority's 'lack of commitment' and are demanding answers.

Drivers have signed a letter criticising the council and the way it deals with the Hackney carriage licence holders.

Drivers say the main thrust of the vote is the council's 'sit on the fence' attitude to problems with private hire vehicles and the lack of council-owned rank space.

John Thackray, 55, of A and A Taxis, has been in the trade for 16 years. He said: "We have told the council about problems with private hire companies. Private hire firms are not allowed to pick up people who are hailing taxis unless it has been pre-arranged or booked beforehand - but they are.

"What people don't understand is if they get into a private hire taxi flagged down in the street, they are not insured so it puts them at risk for a start. It also means we are having trade taken away."

He said there is no enforcement in place, despite the authority being told.

"Under Government best practice guidance, local licensing authorities are directed that enforcement is desirable at times when touting takes place," he added.

Another issue is having no council-owned Hackney carriage rank in Newton Abbot.

There are two ranks in the town. One at the railway station and the other in the Market Walk Shopping Centre service area.

Mike Rockett, 53, of Professional Cabs, has been operating for 25 years and works from the Market Walk service area. He is also a member of the Teignbridge Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Association, which looks after the interests of taxi drivers.

He said: "Both ranks are on private land so we operate at the discretion of the owners. This has got to be rectified.

"We are Hackney carriage owners and drivers pay the council licence, vehicle test and lost plate fees. All these monies are a benefit to the council but in return give us no place to rank. We have, on many occasions, given sound proposals on the siting of new rank spaces yet they have been discarded as inappropriate. Their argument has always been cost and administrative constraints.

"We have been constrained for at least 20 years by Teignbridge Council's lack of commitment and this can no longer be tolerated. We want to try and sort out all the problems."

A Teignbridge Council spokeswoman said: "We have not yet received the letter in question so it is difficult to comment directly. However, we take the concerns of all our customers very seriously, and we will be giving the issues raised our full and proper consideration as soon as we know their exact nature."
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