Taxi Driver Online

Newport cabbies demand official station rank

Wednesday 8th July 2009


NEWPORT hackney cab drivers said they have had enough of private hire cabs illegally touting their fares from Newport train station and want an official hackney cab rank.

A group of around 50 hackney cab drivers gathered outside Newport Civic Centre on Monday to demonstrate their concerns and presented a petition of 49 signatures to a representative from the council's licence department.

Chairman of Newport Hackney Cab Drivers Association, Lionel Morris, 53, said they want an official hackney rank to be set up at the train station and for private hire cars not be allowed to use this.

A copy was also emailed to Arriva Trains Wales who lease the car park area outside Newport train station.

Mr Morris said private hire cars are picking up passengers without prior booking, which their insurance does not cover, while hackney drivers are queuing behind them and losing fares.

He said things are already tough with drivers finding it hard to make a living because of the current state of the economy.

He added they previously paid Arriva Trains Wales around £350 a year in the 1990s to be allowed to pick up fares from Newport train station but said this has now increased to around £5,000 a year which is paid to Dragon taxis which has a contract with Arriva Trains Wales.

Mr Morris said they have police checks every three years and have adhered to the council’s new rules.

The council decided in March that from August next year, no hackney carriage will be licensed if they are older than 12 years.

Mr Morris said they have submitted a complaint to the Public Ombudsman for Wales.

A spokeswoman for Arriva Trains Wales said Dragon Taxi Service has a lease to operate from the station.

She said drivers with the firm have been issued with permits to operate there and that other taxi firms do not have these permits.

She said all their stations require these permits for the safety of passengers and to avoid congestion.

A spokeswoman for Newport city council said it is currently looking in to the drivers' concerns and will investigate any licensing offences.

The Argus put the views of the hackney cab drivers to Dragon Taxis who declined to comment.


Source; http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/gwentnews/4480343.Newport_cabbies_demand_official_station_rank/

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

Do they have proof of this



Having asked the above question, is this legal too

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

http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5463&highlight=dragon



CC

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

A simple yes or no would have been quicker Oh well off I go to read yet another load of information quite happily supplied by you, thank you

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

Ok I've read it and understand it (I think ). My question is this: If the contract is awarded to a PH Firm then do they not have to have an office at the station to take bookings or in any event have to have passengers book the fares either at the office (if there is one) or by telephone?

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

Yes they do, without doubt.

Passengers cannot legally hire a Private Hire vehicle without pre-booking; even on railway property, which is classed as a street for the purposes of the 1847 Act under one of the railway acts, I think, going back to the 1920's, I think.

Sorry to be so vague, but someone on this forum will give full details in the not too distant future.

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Brummie Cabbie.

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