A rather confusing post that one...Is it Private hire thats advocating being pre booked or Taxis advocating being pre booked private hire fashion..or is it a Private hire company making out its a Taxi company or is the press getting it wrong again??

Ellesmere Port taxi drivers urge public to book ahead


TAXI drivers have called on the public to book their vehicles properly as

problems at a nightclub persist.

The New Ellesmere Port & Neston Private Hire Association 2007 are frustrated by the failure of the council to reach an agreeable solution to problems at Destiny and Elite.

Drivers boycotted the club on February 5 and 19, because they say they cannot risk picking people up with no booking - which voids their insurance - and it is almost impossible to find a client amongst the crowd at the club.

If a solution is not agreed by March 19th, the council warn enforcement action could be taken from April 1. But the Association says without a resolution, there is a risk of serious public safety issues.

They added: " All bookings should be made directly through a licensed operator. The booking must be made by the customer, in advance,by phone, not with or through the driver, and the details of the booking must be recorded before the journey starts.

They said drivers are being threatened by members of the public for refusing to book taxis.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused by our actions, but we feel we have no other option left".


http://www.ellesmereportpioneer.co.uk/

The press always get it wrong, the public don't give a poo as they can't tell what is and what isn't.....

Absolutely right.....bad journo's..........the people calling for action are PH....not Taxi!

Are they not private hire taxis any more then?

If a solution is not agreed by March 19th, the council warn enforcement action could be taken from April 1

This statement confuses me, it seems that the council are going to use enforcement to make PH attend the clubs to pick up customers. Surely if they don't want to they don't have to so long as the office don't take the bookings.

Apart from that a good operator would advise customers of an easier pick up point rather than directly outside the clubs or is that too much like commonsense

Don't start trying to put common sense and drunk punters in the same sentance.

This statement confuses me, it seems that the council are going to use enforcement to make PH attend the clubs to pick up customers. Surely if they don't want to they don't have to so long as the office don't take the bookings.

Apart from that a good operator would advise customers of an easier pick up point rather than directly outside the clubs or is that too much like commonsense

If they're that drunk they can't get there we don't want them in our vehicles anyway

Don't start trying to put common sense and drunk punters in the same sentance.

The problem is that historically, private hire cars have been ranking up outside Destiny and Elite and the clubbers just walked out and got in the first car whether it was booked or not.
Now however the Licensing Team for the new Cheshire West and Chester Council are being more dogmatic in the enforcement and trying to ensure all journeys are pre booked. This has upset the PH drivers who say it is impossible to find the right customer when the club kicks out.

If that is the case it would appear that the PH want a 'legal' rank outside the clubs. If that is what they want they need to change their attitude, their licence and their vehicle and became a taxi driver instead, simples