Taxi Driver Online

St Albans taxi drivers slam increase in trading permit price

TAXI drivers in St Albans say they are being driven away from trading at St Albans City Station by the rising cost of buying permits from First Capital Connect. The St Albans Taxi Association are angered at the year-on-year increase in the price of the permits its members purchase from FCC to trade from the station.

Mudassar Yasin, secretary of the group, said the cost of living and the recession has hit many taxi drivers hard. But coupled with having to buy what they describe as “ridiculously priced” permits many drivers say they could be forced to look for work elsewhere.

Mr Yasin said: “The price for permits has risen by as much as 15 per cent and taxi drivers are now paying up to £600 a year for a permit – there has been a rise in prices nearly every year. “As we all know the cost of food, gas and electricity, also the price of fuel and insurance have all risen in the last few years and this recession has made the public tighten their budgets.

“The taxi trade has been one of the first public services to feel this as many who would take a taxi are now using the buses and other methods of transport, even walking, to save the expense.”

Mr Yasin, and fellow taxi drivers, say they have made several attempts to put across their plight to the company but say their words have often fallen on deaf ears. They are angered at having to cope with the increase and hope FCC will take their situation into consideration in the future – if not, the drivers have threatened industrial action.

“We are not the only station on this route which has had an increase and many of the station permit holders up the line are also not happy,” Mr Yasin said. “Stations that are south of St Albans pay a nominal fee which is used in the upkeep of the rank and we feel we should be treated fairly.

“If this situation is not resolved we may have to take industrial action by the means of a strike if necessary. We don't want to have to do this - why should we make our customers suffer?”

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IDFIMH

Is it just this industry that is full of complete idiots?
For someone to go on strike would mean that they have a grievence with their employer. How many of them are employed by the train operator? The only action that they can take surely, would be to stop paying for the permits. If ALL of them refused to pay for the permit, then it may have some effect.

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Grandad,

That's far too sensible why would they do that I don't know layout of this station but couldn't they get a rank just outside on public land?

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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 soon as you ask customers to walk a few hundred yards to the nearest main road they stop using taxis I'm not sure if anyone has researched this but I find up to a third of fares result from the taxis being available as soon as people have to go and find the taxis they opt for buses, phoning friends/relatives for a lift etc. On many occasions the "excuse" I've been given for people getting in my taxi is that they don't want to disturb or put to any trouble friends/relatives who they would have phoned.

There is a nationwide trend with the stations of jacking up permits and car parking fees as bus companies look to maximise the returns from their rail franchises

I'm not convinced striking in our trade ever works.

But the threat gets the story in the press, which often does work.

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IDFIMH

Why should Taxi drivers pay to take the train companies passengers to their final destination?? I hate everything about permits and the companies like Cabfind who profit out of Rail Permits.

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Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

Believe me, don't get Mercury X2

As a PH driver I'm allowed to pick up at Southport station if I have a booking, if one of Seftons hacks was to pull up on the rank at the station and they don't have a permit what law are they breaking?

Railway byelaws, plying for hire on railway property without consent, simples

Unlike York that's on public land
Just had a look on google earth, FFS all that's there is a platform with 2 shelters, they could put the local cab numbers on a lampost in the public carpark next to it and just go and pick up when called

Trespass, and a Railway's by-law.

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IDFIMH

i bet youd like to be selling the permits though....

St Albans taxi drivers' complaints refuted by FCC


FIRST Capital Connect has said there is a demand for permits to trade from St Albans City Station despite complaints from taxi drivers.

The St Albans Taxi Association contacted the Review about the high prices of permits and said they demanded they be reduced to avoid inductrial action.

However Gareth Beazant, spokesman for FCC, said the price of a St Albans pass for taxi drivers to trade from the station will rise from £140 to £152.50 - the first increase since October 2008.

However the taxi drivers claimed there had been a year-on-year increase.

He added: "We continue to invest in patrols, both with the British Transport Police and NCP to ensure only permit holders serve the stations and any unlicensed taxis are prosecuted.

"We have also improved a number of facilities across the network to improve access for taxis."

http://www.stalbansreview.co.uk/news/87 ... ed_by_FCC/

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

Someone appears to be telling porkies.

CC

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

The way train fares are going up, it will be cheaper by cab if the punters share

It already is

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