Taxi drivers to stage anti-Uber protest in York on ThursdayTAXI drivers are planning to gather outside a city council meeting on Thursday, protesting against rule changes which they say will lower standards in the city.
GMB, the trade union for taxi and private hire drivers in York, is holding a rally outside City of York Council’s West Office before a meeting at 5.30pm.
Members are angry that Uber drivers will be allowed to display just a web address, and not a telephone number, on the side of their cars. A telephone number has been mandatory for years and drivers say they are outraged that the change was made without consulting them.
York private hire driver Terry Osborne said: “For as long as I can remember our vehicles have had to have a number on the side for safety reasons.
"If somebody’s mother or father wanted to know if their son or daughter was on their journey home, perhaps stuck in traffic, they could simply ring the taxi or private hire company who would radio through to the driver and reassure them of their children’s safety.
"Now you would have to email somewhere abroad and we have examples of emails not being answered until the next day.”
Mr Osborne added: “I’ve known drivers be declined a licence because the telephone number wasn’t displayed and suddenly Uber come along and standards drop.”
The meeting will see the council’s ruling executive decide whether to adopt new licensing policy.
source:
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/1504772 ... _Thursday/
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