Doubt if this is particularly new, probably just being highlighted because HC income down, PH numbers up, and element of cross-bordering making it all that bit worse, by the looks of it
Black cab drivers accuse private hire vehicles of illegally picking up customers
https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/politics/n ... -1-6273839
Bruce Davies (Image: Eastern Daily Press)
Black cab drivers have accused private hire vehicles of illegally picking up their customers, while the council admits it has not enforced laws over touting for years.
Hackney Carriage drivers called on Norwich City Council today do more to enforce the rules after accusing pre-booked vehicles of taking customers without a booking - something only they are allowed to do.
Norwich City Council said it had not carried out checks "for a considerable number of years" because of lack of resources.
A spokesman said: "We will, on a reactive basis, investigate specific complaints of plying for hire, where a witness can provide the necessary evidence of the offence."
Both pay the council around £120 a year to licence a vehicle and Craig Dimbleby, chairman of Norwich Hackney Trade Association, said some of this money should be ring-fenced for enforcement.
Typically, taxi insurance for black cabs is more expensive but it allows vehicles to be hailed in a street, whereas the law states all journeys in private hire cars must be pre-booked and recorded by an operator.
However, Craig Dimbleby, 54, who has been a cab driver in Norwich for 28 years, said this does not always happen.
He claimed he had been offered a journey without a booking 71 times in April after walking up to private hire cars parked on the streets and at taxi ranks.
"All I am asking for is proper and full enforcement of our trade," Mr Dimbleby said. "My biggest worry is if anything happened to a member of the public that journey is not recorded."
But his claims were disputed by ABC Taxis, Norfolk's largest private hire firm based in Paddock Street, Norwich.
A spokesman said all of the firm's vehicles were tracked.
He said that while there may be problems with touting by other firms, the solution to this was educating the public.
"Private hire taxis do not have public liability insurance, so anyone who gets in from the street that journey is not insured," he said.
Mr Dimbley also claimed some private hire cars licensed by Broadland District Council and South Norfolk Council were working out of their areas and creeping into Norwich.
Both councils said enforcement checks are carried out twice a year and encouraged members of the public to report incidents.
'The industry will die'
Cab driver Bruce Davies, 57, has taken on a second job as a lorry driver to make ends meet.
He said: "The black cab industry will die because there's not enough work going around and private hire companies are just flooding the market.
"They're not supposed to pick people from the side of the street but I see them at the railway station and bus station and opposite Castle Meadow."
His concerns were also echoed by taxi driver Terry Watson, 52, who has been in the industry for 22 years.
He said: "I've had incidents at the bus station, I tell them 'you can't sit there mate'."
Dan Smith, 38, who has left the trade after 12 years to become an engineer, criticised the council for not clamping down on touting.
"I had enough. I was working 70 hours a week and had no family life," he said.
"You can't entirely blame private hire drivers, it's down to the council, they should be enforcing rules."
Terry Watson (Image: Eastern Daily Press)
