Taxi Driver Online

August 31, 2007 Friday

Pay more or we will blockade town

Northwich Guardian

ANGRY cabbies are set to cause chaos by blocking-up the town centre roads in a bid to make Vale Royal Borough Council let them raise their fares.

Northwich is riding high as the favourite town to grind to a standstill, but the 50 drivers may switch course and target places like Winsford to catch the council off guard.

A spokesman for the fuming drivers, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals, said cabbies feel the action is the only way to get the authority's attention.

"They have refused to let us put our rates up for the past three years, meaning that come January, we won't have had a pay rise for four years," he said.

"I imagine the council workers have had a pay increase in the last four years so we're disappointed at the lack of concern, they don't seem to care."

The Government wants a certain amount of taxis to be accessible to the disabled, but the cabbies say the borough council is taking it too far by wanting every newly licensed cab to be wheelchair friendly.

"At the moment you could pay £12,000 for a new Mondeo and use that but you'd be looking at about £25,000 for something that's wheelchair friendly and most just can't afford it," said the spokesman.

"I understand that provisions for the disabled need to be made but why can't they take a leaf out of the Government's book and introduce it proportionally instead of forcing everyone to do it."

He added: "The worst part is, they won't even discuss it with us, they've just refused point blank."

The day for the action is yet to be named, but police will be given sufficient notice.

A Vale Royal Borough Council spokesperson said: "The matter of allowing hackney carriage drivers to increase their fares went before the council's licensing committee on July 30.

"The decision was deferred pending further information from the taxi drivers to support this increase.

"This information has not yet been received, and until it is received, the matter cannot go back to committee.

"The council is in the process of introducing a staged programme to make hackney carriages accessible for wheelchair users.

"The council is not asking for current taxis to be converted, but from March it will require newly licensed taxis to have accessibility

"We are working with taxi drivers to assist them in this matter."
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By delaying an increase.

Even the most thickest councillors must know that fuel has gone up over the last four years.

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IDFIMH