THERE will be one less company on the ranks after one of Blackpool’s oldest taxi firms ran into trouble and its drivers moved to a rival company.

Streamline Progress Taxis, based in Topping Street, has appointed an insolvency practitioner to handle its affairs.

Shareholders of the firm, which was originally formed in January 1947 and has seen several changes including a merger of the Streamline and Progress taxi companies, are to meet on October 17 to discuss the way forward for the company.

Blackpool Council’s licensing officer Ted Rhodes confirmed the move and said many of the drivers and staff had joined C Cabs, of Caunce Street.

Dee Grant director of C Cabs confirmed 26 of the drivers, who are self-employed, had gone over to their company as from October 1 and that five members of staff at Streamline Progress had been made redundant.

She added: “The reason for this is that it is more cost effective for them to come in with us and run as one big company.

“We like to think of ourselves as the biggest and the best.

“It is a competitive business but things are looking good at the moment.

“We are not looking at any further moves, we will just let this settle down now.”

She said all but two of the Streamline Progress drivers had moved over and that C Cabs now had just under 200 drivers working for it.

C Cabs is one of the biggest firms on the Fylde coast and has been in business in its present form for more than 10 years following a merger with Red Cabs.

The insolvency is being dealt with by Campbell, Crossley and Davis of Lytham Road, Blackpool, with Richard Ian Williamson handling the affairs.

THEY VE JOINED us cos they erre going bamg and we needed to stop a preston firm moving in with lower fees etc .lower prices.

THEY VE JOINED us cos they erre going bamg and we needed to stop a preston firm moving in with lower fees etc .lower prices.

I thnk what he meant was the drivers did not want to work for the Preston firm because the prices would have been dropped lower than they were already getting. The preston firm will be able to pick up the business from the receiver BUT without drivers

Theres one big firm that does the majority of undercutting/discounts.Not this firm but it remains to be seen after expanding with more and more vehicles how long it can last !