Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver's struggle to make a living

ALNWICK taxi drivers have branded unfair traffic restrictions which ban them from the town's Market Place – but not new tourist attraction the Alnwick Road Train.

Derek Athey, of Dragon Cars, hit out at the Alnwick District Council ruling which saw the town's only taxi rank scrapped after the Market Place was pedestrianised more than eight years ago. He says the new rank on Bondgate Within is often blocked by illegally-parked shoppers, and local taxi firms are losing cash. He also claims boy-racers are stealing his customers by offering an illegal weekend taxi service.

Mr Athey, 46, who has been a taxi driver for 12 years, said: "When we can get on to the taxi rank at evenings and weekends it is no good.
"People from the Falcon's Rest aren't going to walk down to there. The boy-racers are parking up at the bus station and people are getting lifts with them."

The situation has got so bad he says he has considered calling it a day.
But first he wants to see district council officers on the streets of Alnwick to crack down on the culprits. "The police and the council have told me they need names and registrations but I can't be following people round when I'm supposed to be earning a living," he said. "I pay £200 a year for my taxi plate, £25 for my badge and about £2,000 a year in car insurance."

Fellow taxi-company owner Bob Howells says he also despairs at what he sees as a lack of action by council and police. Bob, who owns ABC Taxis, said: "It is detrimental to the business and these boy-racers don't have the right insurance. If someone gets crippled in one of their cars that would be it. "It is just one fight after another for us, we are fighting for survival. It is people's livelihoods here – I pay the council £225 a year, why should I have to prove what is going on?"

Dreadnought Vintage Coach Company, which runs tours around Alnwick, has made several requests to be allowed into Market Place. Owner Claire Gilroy said: "I was very shocked to hear the road train had got in to the Market Place. I have contacted the county highways department about this on a number of occasions but had no response.

"I think it is very unfair but we have managed quite nicely without. I really feel for the taxis and I don't see why - they are charging, they are going round town the same as the road train, and I don't see why it should have got authority."

Gordon Castle, chairman of road train owner's Alnwick Community Development Trust, said he sympathised with the taxi drivers' predicament. He said: "My personal opinion as a councillor is that the rank should not have been moved from Market Place. But it was a decision by the whole council."

But he was also keen to stress the road train only sets down and picked up in Market Place, in line with county highways regulations. No-one from the district council was available for comment.

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IDFIMH

So the cab drivers can't get into the area, but the train thing who's chairman is a councillor can.

Still, as they say, councils know best.

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IDFIMH

Theres nothing like a council stifling its competiting!!!!!!

God that was bad spelling!!!!

Councils make bad decisions when they are badly advised by the bureaucrats or when they are overcome with greed.

Change the decisions of councils by speaking with one voice backed with political clout.

That political clout is available through GMB membership ............. something I'm sure brother Sussex will testify to.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

Afraid not fella, but I will tell you something for nothing, in a years time I will remind you of that quote.

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IDFIMH

Neither unions or associations or any other organisation can influence political descision making last year they held a referendum in my town on a controvertial town centre "makeover" the towns people voted overwhelmingly NO guess what they ignored the result and went ahead anyway !