Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers win battle to keep the older cabs

ANGRY Worcester taxi drivers have forced city licensing chiefs to shelve plans to remove older cabs from the streets. The proposal to reduce the upper age limit for wheelchair accessible taxis from 12 years to 10 years would have meant those over that age would have to be replaced.

It was one of 22 changes Worcester City Council licensing officers suggested be made to the authority's taxi handbook, which outlines guidance and legislation surrounding hackney carriages and private hire vehicles.

But more than 50 taxi drivers packed the Guildhall for a meeting of Worcester City Council's licensing committee on Wednesday to show opposition to the proposal.

Anne Murphy, secretary of the Worcester Taxi Drivers' Association, said such was the strength of feeling over the issue that many of the taxi drivers who are Muslim had broken their fasting and praying during the holy month of Ramadan to attend.

She said the changes would have massive financial implications for drivers, with them having to replace vehicles which were still fit for the road. She argued that the vehicles were built for life and should be judged individually on their condition and not their age.

Speaking on behalf of the drivers, she also hit out at the council's licensing department, saying they had not been properly consulted over all of the possible changes to the handbook. Concerns were also raised over proposals also in the amendments to scrap saloon cars.

However, environmental health manager Martin Giilies said the city's taxi drivers had been sent a letter together with a table detailing the proposed changes to the handbook. The committee agreed to not implement the controversial proposals and adjourn any decision on the amendments until further discussions are held between committee members and taxi drivers.

Other proposed amendments contained in the revised document included that drivers should not sound their horns to advertise their arrival to customers. Speaking after the meeting, Mrs Murphy said she was delighted the committee had allowed them to put across their views.

She said: "As far as we're concerned the outcome has been positive because we can now discuss things rationally with the committee rather than having directives imposed on us by licensing officers who are not in the trade."

_________________
IDFIMH

This wasn't a side issue, IMO this was the only issue.

_________________
IDFIMH