Taxi Driver Online

Edinburgh cabbies have warned of a huge shortage of nightshift drivers when bars reopen

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/ ... en-3210998


Image: Edinburgh Evening News

City cabbies warn of huge hole in nightshift driver cover when bars and clubs reopen, as Union issues fresh plea for cash help for ‘desperate’ trade.

Drivers told the Edinburgh Evening News that they fear for the future of the trade – worth around £55 million a year to the city’s economy - and warned of the toll on health of drivers facing financial hardship.

Union officials estimate that many in the capital have given up work during the pandemic especially at night, prompting fears of a lack of available taxis when bars and clubs reopen.

Demonstrating at Edinburgh Castle today, drivers called for additional funding, backed by Union officials and Alba candidate Kenny MacAskill, who say more has to be done to keep those who have survived afloat.

Drivers welcomed a discretionary payment from the city council last week, but have repeated calls for a £10,000 grant for owner operators who have to fork out more than £1000 every month in operating costs alone.

Frank Walls, 65, has worked in the trade for forty years. He said: “Owners are hanging on because we are tied into finance agreements. But the lack of help has forced many to quit. I usually start about 3.30am. There’s nobody around then now. When the bars reopen in weeks ahead, we are going to have a shortage of nightshift drivers. Most of them are gone.”

"I’m earning about £6 an hour but it’s about £1,150 a month to in costs before fuel. Even when things open up again, we’ll still be struggling after the year we’ve had. Big financial services companies and other large employers are closing offices or have already closed them, with folks working from home most of the time now. Tourism and travel for business is non existent. It’s a fight to get by.”

One driver who asked not to be named has said his health has deteriorated: The dad-of-two said: “I was rushed to hospital last August because of high blood pressure. I’m diabetic. I was told if I had a stroke or heart attack, that would be it. It’s definitely been caused by stress. It has been a lot to take this year. Its not just about me, I’ve the cost of keeping my family.”

Kevin Robertson, who relies on a second job, said there is a huge knock-on effect for workers and their families:

“It’s like we don’t matter. Owners surely deserve the same help as other small businesses. It’s a marginal existence and most days it’s below breaking even. Many are up to the neck in debt. There’s a huge legacy effect and it’s not just money. It’s distress and a toll on health. But a lot of the guys don’t know how to ask for support.”

Andy Taylor, branch secretary for Edinburgh cab section Unite said: “There’s so much pressure on operators and drivers who are left standing. Many have left. Most nightshift drivers have walked because there’s no night time economy. We are mostly self employed so don’t quality for furlough. The two grants we’ve had so far are like a drop in the ocean. We have guys regularly on the phone in tears worried about how they can pay their bills. It’s desperate.”

Cllr Catherine Fullerton Regulatory Convener, said: “There has been regular contact with the trade throughout the pandemic and we recognise the financial pressures on the trade. As a result of this we recently paid out top-up payments of £1,000 each to taxi and private hire drivers across the city through the Taxi and Private Hire Driver Support Fund, provided from the Edinburgh Discretionary Business Support Fund.”

For the record, this is about the stuff in the Alba manifesto. All hot air, obviously (and I don't mean the environmental stuff they mention), but I suppose if Alba at least mentions the trade in its manifesto then that's better than nothing


Scottish elections 2021: Alba says taxi and private hire drivers have been forgotten in Covid recovery drive

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/ ... ve-3211026


Image: Edinburgh Evening News

Taxi and private hire drivers have been forgotten in Scotland's Covid recovery drive, according to Kenny MacAskill, Alba's number one candidate in Lothian at next month’s elections.

Last week the city council announced top-up payments of £1,000 for drivers in Edinburgh, but Unite the union said national action was still needed.

Mr MacAskill, who is also MP for East Lothian, said: “The taxi and private hire trade has been forgotten and is suffering badly yet are an important part of the economy for the area.

"Its members work hard but along with many others have suffered during lockdown and the level of support has been lower than provided in other parts of the UK. That needs remedied fast.”

The Alba manifesto promises not to leave taxi and private hire drivers behind. As an interim measure, it says it would raise the grant level for taxi and private hire drivers to at least the level in Northern Ireland, to be paid out of the Covid recovery funding provided to the Scottish Government.

And it proposes a capital fund to provide grants and loans for electric and hydrogen vehicle replacement.

Alba candidate Irshad Ahmed said: “The trade needs a boost to recover as lockdown eases but these proposals also offer great opportunities for our communities through an improved environment.

"With COP26 being hosted in Glasgow this should be a chance to transition the trade over from fossil fuels. Grants to allow for electric and hydrogen vehicles to be acquired will make for improved air quality in the city and beyond. Not only does our planet need us to do that but our citizens will benefit from it.”

Anyway, bit of an obvious contradiction between the driver who says there won't be enough work once things get back to normal, yet there won't be enough night drivers to cope with demand

Of course, pretty obvious that these guys represent the usual owner/dayshift vs jockey/nightshift, hence the contradiction above, but I wonder what the average reader of the Edinburgh Evening News makes of all that?

The point is also made that owners have had nothing more than non-owner-drivers, but again I wonder how many readers really pick that distinction up? Or that owners who don't drive have got nothing in terms of the trade-specific grants.

One of them also says they don't get furlough because they're self-employed, thus makes it sound like all the support they've had in Edinburgh is the £2,500 per badge they got there. Er, maybe they think SEISS is just available to drivers in Sussex

The point about the taxi/PH trade being the forgotten trade is 100% correct.

But this has nothing to do with lack of cabs at night and everything to do with lack of journeymen at night.

That said, if it gets mobbed out at night I'm more than certain drivers will return to working those shifts.

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IDFIMH

Indeed, there's obviously a chicken and egg scenario about the whole thing. Night drivers won't work nights unless the night time economy picks up again.

Supply and demand, I think it's called

But don't really know when that'll happen again in Edinburgh. Scottish pubs and restaurants reopen on Monday, but alcohol only outdoors, and 10pm close.

So suspect it's months yet before things even approaching what used to be normal, even assuming normal ever returns

I think it might even be better.

A lot of people have spare cash that they can't spend abroad. So they will want to spend time in the UK's tourist areas.

That includes mine, and includes yours.

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IDFIMH