Taxi Driver Online

MP sparks new taxi row


TAXI drivers in Chelmsford, who are at loggerheads with the council over the issuing of hackney carriage licences, have turned their frustration towards the town’s MP.

It follows a meeting with Simon Burns on Friday at which they asked the Tory MP to become involved in their dispute with Chelmsford Council.

They sought his help to resolve the row, which last week resulted in a two-day strike by members of the Chelmsford Taxi Association.

The drivers want the council to stop issuing any more new licences and hold an “unmet needs survey” – claiming the town is saturated with taxis and drivers are being forced into bankrupcy and having to work long hours.

But Mr Burns said: “I have no powers to intervene. This is a matter between the taxi drivers and the council. They have to reach an agreement and it is not my role to intervene. Both sides are sticking to their position. They said they would halt any further action for seven days if I took on this role, but I told them I could not.”

Terry Flanagan, secretary of the GMB professional drivers branch, said the MP’s claim he could not intervene was “unconvincing”.

Terry Michel, secretary of the taxi association, said it had plans for further action that were being “developed and honed” on a daily basis. He said: “We have nothing else left to do but fight, therefore we shall.”

Roy Whitehead, leader of Chelmsford Council, said: “We are happy with the number of hackney carriage licensed vehicles and private hire vehicles in Chelmsford.

“Our numbers are way below other councils in Essex.”

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

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IDFIMH

Load of old fanny.
Drivers don't want a strike and wont go out.

About time the hot heads calmed down and got a life.

you sound just like some of the numptys we have up here, your the one who needs to take a look at yourself , letting the council walk all over you. Its the other way round when it comes to fanny,s

There's obviously something wrong because I used to chat on forum with one of your guy's, and 2 years ago he was asking me how to get the limits put back in place because of too many licences being issued, and that was 2 years ago so christ knows what it's like there now.

There is to many cabs. But striking and stirring up the council will not change that.
If the hack leadership tried to be constructive they might get a better response.
All this lot want is a war.

What do you class as constructive and what other measures have been tried previously?

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

You can't just lie down and die!!! It's a big problem all over the U.K and i'm sure everyone will agree that there are just far too many taxi's in all areas. Hackney drivers and PH are all scrapping for work while councils are raking in the cash smoking cigars while taxi drivers are turning on each other. Only problem with striking in the taxi trade is that if drivers don't work through taking action there will be people stranded which will only fuel the LA arguments that more taxi's are needed. Drivers have to try different embargo's. Get all drivers out around your bussiest financial or civil service areas and just keep driving around it between 8&9 am and give no warning because driving around in circle's is not an offence. Don't worry about the general public being late for work as the contents of your fridge is more important than theirs.

well said