Taxi Driver Online

Blockade Vow By 'stressed' Cabbies

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Taxi chiefs have threatened mass town centre demonstrations unless action is taken to cut the number of cabs on the road.

They claim there are too many licensed taxis around, leaving drivers struggling to make a living.

According to Neath Port Talbot Proprietors Association secretary Bob Hoyles, some cabbies were having to work 20-hour days and were left so exhausted there was the risk of an accident.

The association wants a moratorium on new hackney carriage licences being issued for the next five years.

But its plea to Neath Port Talbot Council could fail today after officers came out against the idea.

Mr Hoyles said: "If that happens, we will take some form of direct action.

"We will have to bring all 283 licensed taxis into Neath, Port Talbot and Pontardawe town centres in turn, just to show people how many cars there are on the road."

As well as taxis, there are licensed private hire vehicles competing for trade, which Mr Hoyles said took the total number of cars to more than 500 in an area as relatively small as Neath and Port Talbot.

But, making matters even worse, drivers licensed by other authorities are also moving into the area to try to make money.

All this has been compounded by the economic crisis, which has seen many people use public transport instead.

Today's registration and licensing committee will be recommended not to take the association's request any further.

However, Mr Hoyles said councillors have a duty of care to the taxi trade.

"Somewhere along the line, the council will have to accept responsibility for the accident that will inevitably happen," he said.

"I've got drivers working 20-hour shifts, not to make money, but just to survive — to feed their kids and keep a roof over their head.

"They are absolutely exhausted and something is going to happen.

"This situation cannot be allowed to continue."

Councillors will today be told about an Office of Fair Trading report concluding that limiting the number of taxis would reduce availability and lower the quality of service to the public.

Source; ThisIsSouthWales.co.uk

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

20 hour shifts aint good.....cant help but think this aint a good basis for an argument though

CC

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

I wonder how much rental he charges

Who

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

However, Mr Hoyles said councillors have a duty of care to the taxi trade.

"Somewhere along the line, the council will have to accept responsibility for the accident that will inevitably happen," he said.

"I've got drivers working 20-hour shifts, not to make money, but just to survive — to feed their kids and keep a roof over their head.

"They are absolutely exhausted and something is going to happen.

"This situation cannot be allowed to continue."

I think he is talking about members

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

I fail to see how the council will have to accept responsibility. They are not the employer. They are following best practice guidelines.

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Grandad,

Interesting argument from the association; the LA have a duty of car to the taxi drivers?

Cant be right, duty of care to the public certainly.

CC

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

IMO council's do have a duty of care to drivers, in that they should allow any reasonable safety measures, and also allow a reasonable set fare.

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IDFIMH

Where is the "Public Protection Officer" when all of this is going on ? I feel sometimes we are taking our arguments to the wrong people.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

Best practice guidelines are just that "guidelines", not set in stone, towns are different to city`s, villages are different to towns, unregulated numbers mean that every tom dick and harry that thinks we make a fortune wants to become a taxi driver, they then share our paltry wages etc etc. By not regulating it means that if it ever gets any busier the firms will just put more cars on and we see no benefit, the practice of deregulation means that Hackney drivers are kept on a very low wage with no prospect and these are the people who on the whole invest quite a lot of money in their vehicles, that can`t be right. This is all about the majority who drive taxis for a living, not about the firms who make their money by renting out as many cars as possible, nor is it for private hire drivers/firms to comment on. Its all about Hackney regulations and Hackney drivers who are directly affected by these decisions. People who say that the industry will find its own level are not the hackney drivers that are out there trying to earn money, the people that say that want to keep us on low wages with no prospect. Lets keep it real.

Member of Neath port Talbot Proprietors Assocciation

Why is not for PH drivers to comment on Do you think that as a PH driver I'm not affected by de-reg. If that is what you think you want to wake up to the real world. Since our town de-reg'd our private hire systems have been flooded by HC's. I think I've as much right to comment as anybody

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

As it happens, I am. I also know that regardless of restricted numbers or not, the TOTAL number of vehicles required to meet the demand for transport will be split between PH & HC. No restrictions equal a greater number of HC meeting that demand. Restrictions will mean PH will come into the market to meet the excess demand not catered for by HC.

May I respectfully suggest that anyone who still does not understand this find a basic economics textbook and reads it. You are trying to swim back up Niagara Falls with any other argument on this issue, as some reading will reveal.

Here Here, at last someone who knows something about it, a few ppl on here seem to be under the illusion that deregulation is best, if that is the case why was it regulated in the first place?

Answer that and remain credible!


Cabbyman, it didn't look very busy where you are tonight, you should really base your earnings on what you take from the road rather than radio tbh, and your PH rates are a whole lot more real world than the ones I have to compete against over here, infact I'm thinking of selling and coming over your way on a radio it's got so over competitive locally.

It's the same round here, we've got drivers sleeping in their cars in ASDA car park after a Friday and Saturday night, they finish at 5am then are back on the road at 7am after a few hours sleep in ASDA's car park.

Something is going to happen one of these days.