Taxi Driver Online

Cabbies unaware of meeting to decide controversial market place permit scheme



COUNCILLORS have approved plans to introduce a parking permit scheme that could jeopardise a taxi firm’s future.

Durham County Council’s Highways Committee deferred a decision on the proposals for South Burns, next to Chester-le-Street’s market square, in March after private hire operator ABA Taxis and the neighbouring Himalaya restaurant objected.

The committee visited the site and approved the plan on Thursday (April 19).

ABA, which has been based in South Burns for 25 years, said it had been unaware the committee was due to meet..

The company says it had been allowed to park three vehicles on double yellow lines outside its office for years but will be limited to just one car under the new scheme.

It fears its trade will be hit if drivers cannot wait for customers at the office and that it may have to seek new premises elsewhere.

The restaurant also raised concerns at the previous meeting that much of its takeaway trade could be lost if customers could not stop on the lines.

Councillors at the March meeting also spoke of the impact on business but on Thursday the recommendation to approve the scheme was accepted.

Afterwards ABA’s officer manager, Marie Alderson, said the company had been unaware the meeting was taking place.

"We weren’t even invited to this committee meeting.

"We were expecting to be kept informed but we haven’t been. It is a dirty trick.

We were expecting to get a letter saying when they would have the next meeting."

Mrs Alderson said the firm would have spoken to the committee again if it had been given the chance.

But a council spokeswoman said objectors had not been told of the meeting because they could not have spoken at it as they had already done so in March.

She said committee members would have considered the representations made at that meeting before voting.

"The councillors went out on a site visit so they could get an idea and a feel for it, and came back and made a decision.

"They have made a decision and a letter will be sent to everybody who made a representation, letting them know of the decision.’’

http://www.durhamtimes.co.uk/news/96598 ... it_scheme/

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