Concerns that passengers are being duped into taking illegal taxi journeys at Milton Keynes Central
Councillors will discuss concerns that passengers are being duped into taking illegal taxi journeys that they are not insured for.
And the subject of where certain vehicles pick passengers up has caused 'tension' within the industry according to one driver.
Hackney carriages can be hailed at official ranks or on grid roads, while private hire vehicles are taxis that are pre-booked by passengers.
But the hackney carriage industry has raised concerns with that private hire vehicles are setting up 'unofficial' ranks near to the 'public' hackney carriage ranks.
These include an 'unofficial' private hire rank outside Milton Keynes Central rail station.
Due to the sign within the station only pointing to 'taxis' ahead, fears have been raised that passengers are approaching licensed vehicles to their right rather than hackneys to the left.
This is confusing to commuters who would have an illegal private hire journey that is not insured as it was not pre-booked, and would leave them in serious trouble if they were involved in an accident.
Peter Kirkham, of the Hackney carriage taxi association, said: "The majority of these private hire vehicles come from outside Milton Keynes such as Aylesbury and South Northants.
"People go up to them after they have had a few bevvies at night and don't know that the vehicle won't be insured.
"We need more enforcement officers out checking that journeys have been pre-booked, and taking action if that driver has blagged."
But private hire drivers have hit back, saying that their hackney counterparts are as equally to blame for the problems.
Ray Stocker, a director for Eezy Cabs MK, said: "I've seen hackney carriages ply for trade outside hotels, which they are not supposed to do.
"It's an ongoing issue and there is tension between the two. But it's only caused by the council's dithering on the subject."
Councillor Catriona Morris is the chair of the Regulatory Committee that will discuss the problem in a meeting tonight (Wednesday July
at the Civic Offices.She told OneMK: "There shouldn't be a problem frankly, but there clearly is one. We needed a review of all ranks and I will be interested to hear about these problems."
Read more: http://www.mkweb.co.uk/Concerns-passeng ... z3fQKOgh8E
