Taxi Driver Online

Birmingham Evening Mail

November 23, 2007, Friday

Cab strike off;

Action cancelled by drivers at 11th hour

PUBS, clubs and drinkers in the Black Country were breathing a sigh of relief today after a planned taxi strike was called off at the 11th hour.

All 111 black cab drivers who serve Wolverhampton were to have again gone on strike this weekend as part of a dispute with the city council and were threatening to continue their action up to the New Year.

It would have been the third strike in just over a month by the drivers, who left hundreds of clubbers stranded on the streets by their actions last weekend.

They are angry at an alleged lack of enforcement action by the council against illegal pick-ups by private hire drivers which, they claim, are taking away their business.

The cabbies, who belong to the Taxi Owners Association, claim the private hire drivers are coming into Wolverhampton from neighbouring areas, particularly during busy weekends, and using ranks to attract custom.

They are also irate at having to pay higher licence fees than black cab drivers in neighbouring authorities.

The cabbies were due to have gone on strike for 48 hours from 6am today but suspended their action following a meeting late yesterday with Steve Boyes, a director of Wolverhampton Council.

Shiva Misra, the solicitor representing their interests, said today: "With regard to the issue over plying for trade, Mr Boyes has provided assurances that between now and Easter there is going to be a greater level of enforcement. In relation to the issue of fees, the council has given assurances they are looking at this but that they will need some time to obtain information and data from various sources. From now until January, there will be various meetings with the council so that the drivers can be assured that the issue regarding fees in not being ignored. On the basis of these assurances, the strikes are suspended for the time being."
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