Taxi Driver Online

Second "taxi" firm freezes its prices


fixed fares: Mohammed Shabbir, of Betta Cars. The company is the second taxi firm in Peterborough to freeze its prices over the festive season. It is also offering a free entry deal to several city nightclubs.


A TAXI company in Peterborough looks to have ignited a Christmas price war after becoming the second city firm to freeze its prices during the festive season.

This week, The Evening Telegraph revealed that Millfield-based King Carz would continue charging customers its normal rates over the Christmas and New Year bank holidays – a time when many firms routinely increase their tariffs.

Now another company has upped the stakes by not only freezing its prices, but also throwing in a free entry deal to a number of city nightclubs for its passengers.

Betta Cars, which has a fleet of more than 50 minicabs and Hackney carriages operating from its headquarters in Dogsthorpe, says the move is aimed at discouraging drink-driving during the party season and helping cash-strapped customers stave off the effects of the credit crunch.

Owner Mohammed Shabbir said: “Over Christmas and New Year, a lot of taxi companies in Peterborough increase their rates and charge extortionate prices to their customers.

“It is a time of year when people most need our services, but many firms are taking advantage.

“We don’t agree with this and our prices will be fixed at the normal rate every day throughout the Christmas holidays. As an extra incentive, some of the city’s nightclubs will be providing free entry to Betta Cars customers.

“We know this is the time of year when drink-driving is a big problem, and we want to make sure people can get where they want to be and then get home safely at a reasonable price.”

The city centre nightclubs included in the deal are Liquid, Envy, Bar Rock and New York, New York, all in New Road, in the city centre.

The clubs’ management say Betta Cars customers can get free entry before 11pm by presenting a special pass available from the taxi company.

Geraldine Young, who is general manager of all four nightclubs, said the offer had been agreed because of the longstanding link with Betta Cars.

She said: “We have developed a strong relationship over the years and we use Betta Cars to take our staff home at the end of the night.

“For this special offer we wanted to choose a company with a good reputation and the ability to meet the needs of our customers, something Betta Cars is more than capable of.”

The offer has been met with suspicion by drivers of Peterborough’s 200 black cabs, however.

Amran Masood, of the Peterborough Hackney Carriage Association, dismissed it as “cheap publicity”, adding that even at peak times on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, starting rate on Hackney meters would only go up to £4 from the usual £3.30.

He said: “This is coming from just one or two small companies who can’t really provide the service and will end up letting people down.

“The city council should introduce a flat rate for all companies to stick to – that way there would be no problems whatsoever.”

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

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

What a good move.

And just think this lovely gesture will cost him f*** all, but the drivers on his firm 1000s.

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IDFIMH

What so that tw*** like you can undercut it?

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IDFIMH

It's really irritating that people seem to think that taxi drivers should have to work for standard rates over the holiday period (even more so when it's the owner of the company you work for). When they go to work on holidays etc they get extra. It'll serve companies like this one right if none of it's drivers turn out. I don't work christmas day but I certainly wouldn't if I wasn't gettin paid extra for it as far as I'm concerned they could all walk may be then they'll appreciate the efforts taxi drivers make when supplying a service at anti social times. There is always the chance that perhaps the owner of this firm doesn't really care much for christmas anyway

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

OI a bit of perspective please

King carz and betta cars are hardly major players in the Peterborough PH market

Secondly their workforce is 100% muslim and to them there is no such thing as the festive season just normal working days so I doubt the drivers are bothered


and thirdly its spreading to Stamford there are cars going around here with signs in the windows offering 8 seaters for normal car price normal fares xmas day AND new years eve !!!


trade has been pretty poor new years eve since millenium looks like it is set to become just a normal saturday night

Not exactly shocked at that announcement.

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IDFIMH