Taxi Driver Online

Cabbies in turf war strike threat


TAXI drivers in Coventry are threatening to strike over an invasion of cabbies from out-of-town. The city cabbies feel the council isn't backing them in the taxi war.

They're furious that Warwickshire cabbies are coming into Coventry and nicking their passengers. They claim up to 100 outsiders are illegally plying for hire in city street and sitting on Coventry ranks.

Now they're threatening to stay at home from 6am on Friday, October 27 until 6am the following day in protest. They've deliberately chosen one of the busiest days of the week, but in half-term so school taxi runs won't be cancelled.

Tash Sidhu, secretary of Coventry Taxi Association, said: "Even if it's an emergency we're not going to cover it. "And we may well have private hire drivers joining us."

They want the council to pass a bye-law to ban firms based in Coventry from using cabs and drivers licensed by other councils, which they say have lower standards than Coventry.

Pat Royle, vice chairman of the association, said: "The thing is, most of these people have got offices in Coventry even though they're getting their (licence) plates in Nuneaton and Bedworth or Warwick.

"They don't often use the ranks but they go round the streets picking people up. "They're putting the Coventry public in jeopardy. "We've got no control over these vehicles, or the tariffs and all the taxi drivers have had enough."

Frank Barlow, taxi licensing office manager at Coventry, agreed there was a problem and said the council was tackling it. His office used undercover customers to trap five cabbies from Nuneaton and Bedworth who were plying for hire in Coventry.

All five were fined in court and three stripped of their licence by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council. The other two have yet to appear before the borough's licensing committee.

He said a bye-law wasn't possible because - unlike private hire firms - taxi firms don't have to licence their call centres. Taxis from outside Coventry can pick up passengers in the city if they've arranged it over the phone. But they're banned from driving round looking for passengers or sitting on Coventry ranks.

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IDFIMH

Now that'll be why....


CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Now I have a tad of sympathy with these lads, but FFS if you are going to ask a council to do something, then make sure it's legal first.

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IDFIMH

HC's from other areas, operating on PH circuits in another?

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

so once again you need politicians to change things for you,but if you heed some advice on here you wont help select them,really clever EH

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The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

word of advice GMB, before you comment, make sure you know what the [edited by admin] your on about.....read the Gladen judgement.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

After reading some of the comments by this plant pot, I'm really beginning to appreciate J.D......... honestly

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Can I forward a motion for words I never thought I see written?

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

It won't happen we have one cab firm that has it's office outside the licensing area (only just) who operate a mixed fleet of vehicles most plated for our area but one for area where their office is located all HC both councils say that there is nothing illegal and cannot do anything about it so I doubt the strike will do any good except harm their own trade still further