Cardiff taxi drivers told to demand fees upfront after spate of fare dodgersCARDIFF’S cabbies have been told by a trade leader to demand fares upfront following a surge in late-night passengers running off with out paying.
Hackney carriage drivers say they are losing “hundreds of thousands of pounds a year” from punters “doing a runner” at the end of their journey.
Mathab Khan, chairman of the Cardiff Hackney Carriage Association, said cabbies had grown frustrated at a lack of response from the police and Cardiff council over the problem.
He has instructed his members to ask to be paid before the start of a journey if they have concerns the passenger might fail to pay. If the customer then refuses to pay, Mr Khan said drivers should refuse the fare.
The council’s licensing boss, however, last night said drivers who refused fares without a reasonable excuse would be committing an offence.
Mr Khan said: “It happens every day in Cardiff. They are doing it because they know that they will disappear into thin air and get away with it. It’s probably worse than it has ever been and unfortunately the police are not helping.”
Mr Khan, who claims it is not illegal to charge upfront, said those targeted would most likely be groups of young men, aged 18 or 19, picked up in the city centre late at night.
Drivers, he said, would estimate the cost of fare – for example £15 to St Mellons from the city – and refund the difference at the end of the journey.
Mr Khan said: “If they don’t get offended on buses or trains then why should they get offended in a taxi?
“It’s tradition to pay at the end but if the tradition is abused then it has to change. We can’t afford to lose money.”
The city’s other taxi trade body, however, wants the council to introduce an official police-backed deposit scheme which drivers can use at their discretion.
Abdhi Ahmed, chairman of the Union of Taxi Drivers, said passengers would be given a written receipt after putting down a deposit at the start of the trip and pay the balance on arrival.
“My drivers are losing every single day and changes need to come, but they have to come from up top – from the council,” he said.
The inaugural meeting of the Cardiff Taxi Forum – comprised of trade representatives, the council and police – took place on Monday.
Citing the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, Councillor Ed Bridges, chairman of the public protection committee, said: “Taxi drivers can ask passengers to pay a deposit before the journey begins, as an informal agreement between the passenger and the taxi driver, but the driver must then record the fare using the meter and sort out the difference for payment at the end of the journey.
“However, if a customer travelling within the Cardiff boundary refuses to pay their fare upfront, it would then be an offence for the driver to refuse to undertake the journey.”
A police spokeswoman said: “Taxi companies in Cardiff highlighted this as a problem at a recent meeting attended by officers. Those who dishonestly make off without paying, and with intent to avoid payment, are committing an offence and depriving the taxi drivers of their livelihood.
“Civil matters arise when passengers have a genuine grievance of the size of the fare or service provided.
“We are working with our own staff, the local authority and taxi associations to tackle this issue and would urge passengers to make sure they pay the right fare or risk facing prosecution.”
source: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/cardiffonline/cardiff-news/2011/11/09/cardiff-taxi-drivers-told-to-demand-fees-upfront-after-spate-of-fare-dodgers-91466-29743687/#ixzz1dCZgXcJ9
Login
Register
FAQ
