3 Apr 2008
'Pirate' cabbies steal our trade, say Chichester taxi drivers
CABBIES in Chichester claim their livelihoods are being threatened – and
public safety is being put at risk – by 'pirate' drivers arriving from outside
the area to ply their trade.
The situation has now got so bad Chichester District Council is
investigating and illegal drivers could face prosecution.
Legitimate drivers claim there is an increasing number of private-hire
vehicles and hackney carriages registered to Arun District Council which
are illegally targeting key locations including Chichester Gate, Chichester
University, St Richard's Hospital, Thursday's nightclub in Drayton and
some of the city's streets.
The Chichester Taxi Alliance, which represents hackney carriage drivers in
the district, said popular events such as racing at Goodwood and Blues on
the Farm attracted large numbers of illegal drivers because of a lack of
law enforcement in the past.
Some of these drivers had poorly-maintained vehicles and other bad
practices, including failing to properly display a licensed vehicle plate,
were common.
Bryan Morgan a taxi driver in Chichester for the past 16 years, said the
problem had been going on for years.
"Drivers have told the authorities about these problems time and time
again," he said.
"These drivers have no right to rank up at the racecourse. The only time
they can come here is if the customer has booked a journey from, say,
Bognor. Drivers can't ply for trade in Chichester."
Last month the taxi alliance outlined its concerns to a meeting of the
district council's licensing and enforcement committee, which has now set
up a working group of councillors and officers to investigate the
allegations.
It will now make a series of recommendations and review the use and
location of private taxi ranks in the district.
The taxi alliance said a lack of enforcement by the council had seen a
'dramatic expansion' in the number of illegally-operating vehicles
throughout the district.
The alliance said public safety was its primary concern as drivers
operating illegally did not have valid insurance.
Last month the alliance sent a letter to the licensing committee calling for
laws regarding illegal drivers to be properly enforced.
Alliance member Graham Price said: "The council has made a significant
move and drivers want it sorted out very quickly. It's been going on now
for too long.
"What we still feel is why haven't phone calls been made to operators and
why haven't there ever been any prosecutions?"
He said that problems were increased at night and the potential revenue
from night time spots had halved.
"It's not a good situation at all," he said.
Environmental health manager Matthew China said officers had spoken to
licensing officers from Arun district.
"There are a number of cases which officers are progressing on an
individual basis," he said. They had been collecting evidence, but so far no
cases had been brought before the court.
District council chairman Cllr John Ridd said the authority was required to
licence taxi drivers, and had some sort of duty to make sure they were
operating in a way which was fair to them.
"It is their livelihood, and we require a high standard from them," he said.
"We should do our best to make sure they are operating under proper conditions."
Cllr Mick Shone said: "Unlicensed operators are an issue which I
understand is being addressed. There is no question some of these can be
successfully prosecuted."
Source: Bognor Today
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