Hackney driver says unlimited granting of taxi licences in Ellesmere Port could put cabbies out of work A CABBIE says drivers will be put out of business if restrictions on Hackney cabs in Ellesmere Port and Neston are lifted.
Last week Cheshire West and Chester Council launched a questionnaire asking drivers and members of the public to respond to questions with a view to making taxi rules in the borough more uniform.
Robin Miller, a hackney cab driver from Ellesmere Port, insists getting rid of the limit on the number of hackney cabs able to ply their trade in Ellesmere Port and Neston will spread the same amount of trade over more drivers.
Mr Miller said: “What they don’t seem to take into account is hackney cab drivers are dependant on a minimum amount of taxis.
“Every time the council issues another taxi licence, it depletes a taxi driver’s income.
“They have obliterated the taxi business.
As a result of deregulation of hackney cabs in Chester, nine drivers have gone bankrupt.
“They’re putting people out of business. It’s very sad.”
Mr Miller said there are only 17 taxi rank spaces for the 51 hackney cabs currently operating, and that allowing more would be unmanageable.
He added: “It’s illegal for us to sit in a pub car park.
“We can only pick up a far when we’re moving.”
“These guys are suffering.”
Mr Miller said – but for a contract to transport a pupil to and from Dee Banks School in Chester – he would struggle to maintain his job as a driver.
A council spokesman said: “The council inherited three very different policies and we are now looking to standardise these, where possible, so that passengers, drivers and operators throughout the borough benefit from clear and consistent standards.
“We are looking to hear from all drivers, who have each been written to individually, as part of the public consultation process.
“No decision has been taken at this stage to de-limit driver numbers and any decisions taken will take into account what is best for that local area.”
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