Cabbies Hackneyed off with council taxi plans
Cabbies in Winsford hold their petitions opposing the plansCabbies in Winsford hold their petitions opposing the plans
CHANGES to Hackney Carriage licensing will drive Winsford cabbies out of business and leave vulnerable residents without transport - according to enraged taxi drivers.
Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) are recommending only wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV) less than ten years old will be licensed for Hackney Carriage across the Vale Royal Zone.
Cabbies have 12 months from April 2013 for compliance with the regulation.
Winsford Taxi Drivers Association (WTDA) argue doing away with a mixed fleet removes choice for the elderly and semi-ambulant, for whom getting in and out of a WAV can be like ‘climbing in and out of a van’.
WTDA vice chair, David Steele, said rising cost of living and fuel meant drivers would also not be able to afford payments on the cheapest £26,500 council-approved WAV, forcing at least 37 Winsford cabbies out of business.
The 40-year-old father of two said: “My average takings are £40 per day. Out of that I take fuel and living. I’m on working tax credits like the majority of drivers. Now the council are asking us to buy vehicles that work out about £600 each month in payments.”
CWAC’s report acknowledges there will be ‘financial implications to the Hackney Carriage trade’.
From his 11 years in the business, Dave Edwards, 41, has seen how many elderly people struggle to get in and out of WAVs.
Dave said: “I come from a household where a family member was in a wheelchair. I understand these issues. If you take away the cars, you take away the choice of those semi-ambulant people that can’t use wheelchair vehicles because it can be like climbing in and out of a van.
“The council will point to private hire taxis, but if you’ve got an old person that has done their shopping in town and they can’t get hold of a private company, then they’re stuck. It shouldn’t be one size fits all.”
Dave points to a Guilford Council scheme to do away with a mixed fleet, which was delayed after falling foul of Government guidelines that state councils should be ‘particularly cautious’ about limiting vehicle types.
David added the proposals were already having an effect on employment.
He said: “I’ve got two cabs. I had a driver lined up to put into my other vehicle. I got him on the BTEC course and trained him up. He’d been on the dole and we were getting him into employment, but because of these proposals I’ve had to ‘say, sorry, I don’t have a job for you. I can’t guarantee there’ll be the work for you in the future.’”
A CWAC spokesman said their decision had been taken after consultation with cabbies and the public.
They point to Chester, Ellesmere Port and Neston, where cabs are currently all WAVs.
The spokesman said: “Anyone who does not agree with this policy or wishes to propose an amendment to it, or the time scale, will have the opportunity to address councillors, or have their comments brought to the attention of a future Licensing Committee.”
source: http://www.winsfordguardian.co.uk/news/ ... axi_plans/
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