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| Police urged to stop taxi war http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5338 |
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| Author: | captain cab [ Mon Jan 08, 2007 11:19 am ] |
| Post subject: | Police urged to stop taxi war |
Police urged to stop taxi war POLICE have been urged to deploy more officers to prevent a feud between rival taxi drivers spiralling out of control. Taxi drivers from Aberdeenshire, operating illegally in the city of Aberdeen, have clashed with cabbies in a series of potentially volatile disputes. The call for police action was made in a letter to Colin McKerracher, Grampian's Chief Constable, from Donald Macleod, the city council's solicitor. In it, Mr Macleod says complaints have been received from the Aberdeen cab trade that large numbers of taxis from outwith the city have been illegally plying for hire, particularly in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday mornings. According to Mr Macleod, the growing dispute between the rival groups has been fuelled by a dramatic rise in the number of taxis operating throughout the North-east. The number of taxi licences in the area has soared by 46 per cent - from 3,561 to 5,100 - in the past decade. The city council's limit of 915 licensed cabs was abolished last January, while Aberdeenshire Council has never set a limit on the number of taxis in its area. This article: http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=27922007 Last updated: 06-Jan-07 01:33 GMT Comments1. lisa, perth / 10:25am 6 Jan 2007 All these taxis weren't driving around looking for customers. They had heard a rumour that someone had droppped a 10 pence piece somewhere in Aberdeen. Report as unsuitable 2. Trac / 3:56pm 6 Jan 2007 Why is it that despite those licences you still have trouble getting a taxi at peak times. Given the queues when the clubs empty at a weekend its no surprise others want a slice of the cake since Aberdeen cabbies don't want to work. Report as unsuitable 3. Stuart W, Dundee / 5:46pm 6 Jan 2007 Trac Your post reveals part of the reason why you find it difficult to get a taxi, since you mention that it's 'when the clubs empty' and use the terminology 'peak times'. The problem is the amount of people who all want a taxi within a ten-minute slot when the pubs and then clubs chuck out. If there were enough taxis such that no one had to wait at all then drivers would probably do a couple of jobs when the pubs come out then another couple when the clubs chuck out, ergo they wouldn't bother waiting up till that time. Many people would find it a lot easier to get a taxi if they didn't wait until they were chucked out of the club. The other reason many drivers won't work at that time is for the simple reason that most of the rest of the population don't like working at that time either, thus it's unsurprising that many taxi drivers won't work at that time either. A related reason is the amount of ill-mannered, foul-mouthed, agressive, sneering and violent people that you can get at that time of night. Or those who vomit in your taxi and at least one of their mates is guaranteed to find this hilariously funny, or even those who unrinate or defecate. Of course, they're not all like that, but as with so many things these days the uncontrolled minority spoil things for the majority. As regards the illegal plying for hire, I suspect that many of the Aberdeenshire taxis are actually pre-booked an waiting for people going out of the city, but no doubt there are some who are illegally plying for hire. The increase in taxi numbers cited (46% in a decade) doesn't actually seem too much since the taxi market has grown significantly in that period, probably due to people having more disposable income. In NE Fife the numbers grew by more than this in the YEAR to summer 2005 (100 to 150 ie 50%), so I don't think the Aberdeenshire numbers demonstrate anything in particular. |
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