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| It's not funny !!!! http://taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9797 |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:55 pm ] |
| Post subject: | It's not funny !!!! |
Taxi bungle brings the city to a halt DERBY city centre was brought to a standstill after workmen mistakenly painted bus stop markings over a taxi rank. More than 100 hackney cab drivers held a go-slow in protest after the blunder in Albert Street. Traffic was brought to a halt in Morledge, Victoria Street, Albert Street, Full Street, Derwent Street and Corporation Street between 3pm and 4.10pm yesterday. The error tipped the drivers over the edge. They were already seething over the city council's ending of a "gentleman's agreement" that allowed them to use Victoria Street bus stops at night when they were empty and what they see as competition from bus companies over the introduction of new late-night services. The city council revealed yesterday's bus stop error was made by Carillion, the company it uses to maintain its roads. It had told Carillion to alter the position of a bus stop in Albert Street slightly but it misinterpreted the instructions and painted over the existing two-car taxi rank in Albert Street. A council spokeswoman said: "The rank was never meant to be painted over." A spokeswoman for Carillion said it accepted responsibility, adding: "Plans have already been put in place to rectify the issue by the weekend. We apologise for any inconvenience that was caused. "An order had been put in by the council. However, it was recalled following consultation with stakeholders and, unfortunately, was not noted by our sub-contractors. This error will not incur a charge to the council and we are looking into tightening up procedures to prevent this happening again." Javed Khan, chairman of the Derby Area Taxi Operators' Association, described the blunder as a disgrace. He said: "Heads should roll after making a mistake like this." Police asked drivers taking part in the protest to move on. A spokesman said: "We will be speaking to the council and taxi representatives to avoid a repeat of this type of action in the future. A number of drivers were warned over their actions and told that if they continued they would be issued with a fixed penalty notice for obstructing a highway." Further protests had been planned for Friday and Saturday, this time in response to the ending of the "gentleman's agreement" but these have now been suspended ahead of a meeting organised by police for Monday. Drivers, the council and the bus companies will get together to discuss the dispute over the use of Victoria Street bus stops. Mr Khan warned of more action if the outcome was "unsatisfactory" to taxi drivers. He has also told drivers to continue using the Victoria Street bus stops at night as usual. He said: "We won't be looking for trouble but we will be there as we always are and we'll see what happens." Mr Khan said the gentleman's agreement had been made through the council 18 months ago. He claimed it was ended by the authority a fortnight ago but that drivers had not been told and that he had found out only after a taxi marshall, hired to help passengers in and out of cabs on Friday and Saturday nights, told a driver. The council claimed taxi drivers were abusing the agreement by parking at the Victoria Street stops at night during busy times and it had been made clear the privilege would end. A spokeswoman said drivers had been given another rank in Wardwick. But Mr Khan said people did not wait there for a taxi. Both Arriva and Trent Barton said they were not aware of the gentleman's agreement. A Trent Barton spokesman said: "We were not told of any other arrangement with the taxi firms." Mario Colello, 51, has been a taxi driver for 26 years and took part in yesterday's protest. He said: "All we want is for the bus services and taxi services to have an equal footing. We are being treated like third-class citizens." Tension had been mounting since Arriva announced it was introducing late-night bus services at weekends alongside Trent Barton. Taxi drivers said the bus companies were taking their business and launched a campaign offering rides into the city centre for £1. |
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