Taxi Driver Online

Christmas relief for private hire drivers
http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/12/1 ... e-drivers/

Private hire taxi drivers in Wolverhampton have worked out a compromise with council chiefs after complaining that a ban on them driving into the city centre left them facing financial ruin.

A weekend Christmas safety scheme to protect drunks and revellers keeps out all vehicles except for black cabs after dark. Private hire cars can only pick up and set down at designated points which left black cab drivers with a monopoly on night time trade in central Wolverhampton.

The boss of a firm which runs 90 vehicles said today that an amicable arrangement had been reached.

Gerry Turner, director of Central Cars, said he had spoken with city council officials and agreed a solution.

“We have agreed that we can go into the city centre to collect elderly or disabled people, or people with heavy luggage who need to go to or from the bus station.

“Private hire vehicles have monitors with the time and location that they are going to, and we will show this to the marshals.”

Colin Parr, Wolverhampton City Council’s licensing manager, said: “We have reiterated to security staff of the need to show some discretion. We recognise that there will be times when private hire vehicles will need to enter the closed-off area to pick up elderly and disabled people, under-18s who may have been visiting restaurants, or people with luggage coming off coaches.

“To avoid abuse of the system, security staff will be checking data screens in vehicles which display details of the pre-booked fares. They will also be checking with the drivers’ offices to confirm the information they give to security staff is accurate.”

Apart from black cabs, no vehicles can enter seven streets between midnight and 4am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Private hire drivers had previously feared that the restrictions would hit business by stopping them from picking up any booked fares from some of the city’s busiest venues, restaurants and clubs.

Two pick-up points for pre-booked private hire vehicles are in Piper’s Row and Victoria Street.

The Keep It Safe initiative is being run by West Midlands Police, Wolverhampton City Council and Wol- verhampton Primary Care Trust.

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