Hackney carriage drivers had planned to strike if the Council didn't repel restrictions on where their vehicles could be MOT tested
Taxi drivers have called off a strike after winning the right to MOT test their vehicles anywhere in the city.
Previously drivers had reported to a Cardiff Bus test station to have their cabs passed roadworthy.
Mathab Khan, chairman of Cardiff Hackney Carriage Association, was pleased with the result.
He said: “We wanted the testing station ban to be lifted, Cardiff Bus had a monopoly on this and our drivers were being delayed in getting their MOTs done.
“These are very tough economic times and drivers were losing time waiting for the cabs to be tested.”
Gareth Mole, Delivery Director for Cardiff Bus Service, warned of redundancies if the restrictions were lifted: “We provide a valuable service and and were considering investment to improve the facility.”
Private hire taxi firms, including Sharyn Donnachie of Capital Cabs, also supported the lifting of the ban.
She said: “Why should we as taxi firms be effectively subsidising a competitor by having to take our taxis for MOT there?”
Taxis are expected to take an MOT every six months, currently costing £66 for the test and £44 for a re-test.
The Council’s public protection committee authorised the use of any VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) approved MOT testing station, and criticised Cardiff Bus for charging taxi drivers for re-tests.
Llanishen councillor Bob Smith said: “This is just a monopoly situation. Why can’t the drivers use any VOSA testing station, where they are unlikely to get charged for a re-test or have to pay the Cardiff Bus higher fees.”
Mohammed Afzal Nabi, from Cyncoed, who has been driving a taxi for 10 years, said: “I am pleased. We have had some very long waits, three or four weeks, to get our cars tested.”
The committee also introduced new regulations for private hire firms, forcing them to display a sticker in their windows making it clear to customers that cabs needed to be pre-booked.
Mr Khan had accused private hire firms of picking up customers without pre-booking, but Gareth Owen, director of Dragon Taxis, was unhappy with the accusations.
Mr Owen said: “These signs and stickers are just a hammer to crack a nut. Getting thousands of respectable and responsible private hire firms to display a sign is ridiculous.
“Your problem is not with us, it’s with the hackney carriages. You don’t see complaints against private hire drivers infront of this committee.”
The committee also moved forward plans to introduce harder English tests for new taxi drivers, reviewing the BTEC that drivers currently have to sit before being granted a licence.
Hackney carriage drivers went on strike back in January this year over concerns that the Council was issuing too many taxi licences.
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