Taxi Driver Online

Came across this via TaxiPoint, but get the impression we're not allowed to simply paste articles from there onto here, so done a bit of a rehash below

A bit like the Chelmsford operation the other night, but it's police who have posted it to social media rather than council LOs, or whatever.

Anyway, it's based on a Twitter post by Glasgow City Community Policing Team, as below. Funny thing, though, is that it's a bit vague as regards what the operation is all about, other than 'enforcing legislation at the taxi rank'. But the responses on Twitter from the trade certainly suggest it was primarily about illegal parking on the rank.



Image: Glasgow City Centre Police/Twitter


However, the responses from the trade suggest that the enforcement was short-lived, and had little short-term effect, never mind what happens in the long-term.

Which is consistent with what was said in the Chelmsford thread - once these practices become ingrained, any enforcement or crackdown seems more about PR rather than actually turning things round. Once officers depart, then it's quickly back to normal.


This is from Calum Anderson, who was one of the Unite reps at one point, and I'm guessing he's still with them:


Other responses are along the same lines:








TaxiPoint also quotes Allan Nugent of the newly formed Glasgow Taxi Owner’s Federation, who several weeks ago said the following, which is probably a more rounded summary of the wider narrative as regards this kind of thing:

As an aside, not surprising that there's a new TOA in Glasgow in view of the various issues in play, particularly the LEZ stuff. But maybe a bit bizarre that there hasn't been a similar organisation till now.

To be honest, I don't know who or what represents the HC trade in Glasgow, precisely, but obviously the Unite Cab Section seems to be the most prominent, at least as far as stuff online is concerned.

And the quote in yesterday's piece about Scotland's nighttime economy seems to suggest that the huge Glasgow Taxis HC circuit uses the Scottish Taxi Federation in that regard, and I think that's very much an owners' organisation. Of course, to a degree the Glasgow Taxis circuit puts itself forward as some sort of representative group.

I get that the trade wants more enforcement, but slagging off the enforcement when it does happen will do them no favours.

Work with these people, and give credit when it's due FFS.

_________________
IDFIMH

To be fair, the official Unite response is quite restrained. And they do all have a point.

And the response could be worse. Think Leeds

Meant to say as well, notice the big CASH ONLY sign in the window of the second cab in the high-res photo:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fjke83aWAAU ... name=large

Think if I tried that here would be lucky to get a job at all some days

Glasgow taxi drivers threaten boycott of busy city centre rank

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/sco ... ntre-rank/

Taxi drivers have threatened to boycott Sauchiehall Street rank over claims that parked cars are preventing them from using it.

Calum Anderson, chairman of Unite's Glasgow Cab Section, told GoRadio on Friday that he didn't see an alternative to asking Unite members to avoid the busy rank.

He said: "Unfortunately taxis can't park here. We're unable to utilise the rank at night times, purely down to parked cars and a lack of enforcement."

He claimed that 'the busy taxi rank was unworkable' and that it was 'a public safety issue'.

Mr Anderson said: "The rank is virtually unworkable at the moment and I can't see any alternative but to ask our members just to boycott this rank completely.

"And that is not something that we would do lightly."

Unite Glasgow Cab Section and Glasgow City Council have been contacted.

The brief article above is based on a piece on a Glasgow radio station.

There are two videos on the station's twitter feed, and the first one deals with the rank stuff, while the second deals with the LEZ issue, and Calum Anderson of Unite articulates things very well:

https://twitter.com/thisisgoradio/statu ... 7546170370

Don't know if there's much point in this, other than to record the fact that the council have issued a response. The rest of it is rehash.

And the council's response is just formulaic and eminently predictable comms stuff, which may or may not mean anything.


Council responds after Glasgow taxi drivers threaten rank boycott

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/sco ... k-boycott/

Glasgow City Council has responded to threats from taxi drivers to boycott the Sauchiehall Street rank.

We previously reported that Calum Anderson, chairman of Unite's Glasgow Cab Section, told GoRadio on December 16 that he 'didn't see an alternative' to asking members to avoid the rank over parked cars.

Mr Anderson said: "Unfortunately taxis can't park here. We're unable to utilise the rank at night times, purely down to parked cars and a lack of enforcement."

He claimed that 'the busy taxi rank was unworkable' and that it was 'a public safety issue'.

He added: "The rank is virtually unworkable at the moment and I can't see any alternative but to ask our members just to boycott this rank completely.

"And that is not something that we would do lightly."

A spokesperson from Glasgow City Council responded that they 'were aware of parking issues' on Sauchiehall Street and had joined with cops to tackle the illegal parking earlier in December, moving 60 illegally parked cars.

The spokesperson said: "We are aware of parking issues in this area Sauchiehall Street and we have stepped up our enforcement action against illegally parked vehicles.

“Earlier this month we staged a joint operation with police on illegal parking and over 60 vehicles breaching restrictions were moved from double yellow lines.

“We will continue to monitor this area closely and respond accordingly.

“All drivers have a basic responsibility to comply with the road regulations at all times.”

Unite Glasgow Cab Section has been contacted for comment.