Taxi Driver Online

EVENING CHRONICLE (Newcastle, UK)

August 10, 2006 Thursday

HEADLINE: Driven to despair by our uncaring council

Newcastle Council has finally got rid of the taxis from the bottom of Dean Street on the Quayside.

They have put up new signs and are using the police to enforce the issue. The have let us park there and pick up the public since the Q Link buses started.

These buses are a waste of public money and are empty most of the time. They say they get 10,000 passengers a week but I can't believe that. We, the taxi drivers, provide a public service the same as the buses, but the council treat us as second-class citizens.

We were not even consulted when they took away the taxi ranks. Who wants to get a yellow bus and a metro late at night? It's not safe. We have asked the public and they say they want a taxi service.

We are trying to make a living the same as the buses. I think we deserve better.

G NAPIER, for Newcastle taxi drivers.
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