Taxi Driver Online

A letter in today's Dundee Courier - I believe that Mr Costello is one of the absentee operators who can run a saloon while many of the working drivers have to run a WAV.

The taxi trade in Dundee has gone into overkill

Sir,—I would like to respond to some of the points in your article, Delays for licences refuted, January 25.

I assume Mr Bob Costello, Sidlaw Executive Travel managing director, has never attempted to work his taxi for several years; the statement he made, I quote, “Moreover, the citizens of Dundee have been unduly inconvenienced as a result of the delays in issuing taxi licences” shows this!

It is my opinion that this is a classic example of another profiteer within the trade. If this man had in fact operated his taxi himself, he would see at first hand that the taxi trade in Dundee has gone into overkill!

I and other bona fide taxi operators, who struggle weekly through even longer hours to make ends meet, are appalled by Mr Costello’s comments.

He clearly has no interest in the people of Dundee, nor, the taxi trade, or, indeed, council policy; just simply his own bank balance, as there are over 600 hackney taxis and in excess of 150 private hire cars within Dundee, and these figures increase monthly.

The bona fide taxi operator does not have the luxury of owning a fleet of buses, or property and the one asset we do possess, our vehicle, is at present under threat from spiralling numbers.

This man and others like him are nothing more than parasites on the trade—this is clear from his urgency to have yet another taxi driver’s licence issued hastily in order to feed his already bulging coffers!

John Reilly. Secretary. Dundee Wheelchair Taxi Association.

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2008 ... etters.asp

Reply from Mr Costello:

Competition something any business must face

Sir,—I write in response to a letter in Monday’s Courier regarding my dispute with Dundee City Council entitled, The taxi trade in Dundee has gone into overkill.

I am somewhat taken aback at Mr Reilly’s vitriolic personal attack on me on behalf of his members. As a taxi licence holder I have provided a taxi service for some 15 years whereas Mr Reilly, according to the council website, applied for a licence in 2005.

Given the number of taxis now on the road in Dundee it is not easy for a sole trader. However, this situation is not confined to the taxi trade. Competition is something anyone in business has to take account of when starting up.

I warned the council, particularly when they withdrew the financial support for wheelchair suitable vehicles, that there would be little benefit to wheelchair-bound travellers especially if the owners of these vehicles in order to cover their higher running costs might give preference to able bodied passengers.

This has come to pass—in fact the council recently responded to complaints by the taxi trade by saying that “the continuing concern of apparent discrimination against disabled persons requires to be addressed”.

Due to my insistence the council have now accepted that temporary licences can be granted within the 21-day period. This will assist members of the taxi trade in maximising their earnings, including Mr Reilly’s members.

I would suggest Mr Reilly channel his energies into something constructive instead of making an unproductive attack on me.

Bob Costello. managing director.
Sidlaw Executive Travel (Scotland) Ltd,
Unit 5,
Ardyle Industrial Park,
Perrie Street,
Dundee.

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2008 ... etters.asp

thats the touble with deregulation we have had it for 12 years now and that has seen a 400% increase in the size of the hackney fleet PH doesn't exist down here there is no point as the council will issue ANYONE with a licence as long as they have the money

The big differance down here is that NOONE has to have a WAV I have been the only operator of a wav for 9 years although i have to rely on bookings because the only people who will get in on the rank are mums with prams/buggies who don't want the bother of folding them down

The major downside is that the more lucrative (non wheelchair) work is being systematically poached by operators buying cheap minibuses plating them up and undercutting you on that work

the fact is that it is not in the interest of the councils to have a level playing field and arguments will always erupt as a result as good an argument as any for the REMOVAL of taxi licensing from the hands of greedy local councils and into the hands of an independant body which only needs to recover its own costs and has no political axes to grind just a set of open and transparent rules