Taxi Driver Online

Neath and Port Talbot taxi trade is 'dying out', warn cabbies

CABBIES say the taxi trade is dying in Neath and Port Talbot, with drivers packing in because they cannot make a living. They have spoken of cars being parked up because there is no demand for them, and owners being unable to sell them because nobody is interested in buying.

This time last year proprietors asked Neath Port Talbot Council to impose a three-year freeze on new Hackney carriage licences being issued to protect existing drivers.

Last November, councillors finally supported the idea and agreed to carry out a survey to show whether there is unmet demand — a legal requirement before the moratorium can be considered. That survey has not yet been carried out, and councillors were discussing concerns about the cost.

Neath Port Talbot Taxi Proprietors Association secretary Bob Hoyles has now told the Post: “The trade is on its backside. “It is not quite so bad in Neath, but in Port Talbot and the Swansea Valley it is dying. “Cars are being parked up because drivers are not making any money and cannot afford to pay the owners rental.

“Many of them are packing it in and looking for employment elsewhere instead. “But take someone like myself. I’ve been driving for 26 years. I’m 52 — what else can I do? “I own my own vehicle, but I cannot sell it because there are no other mugs out there interested in buying it. I’ve just got to keep working longer and longer hours as I get older to try to make a living.”

Mr Hoyles said the past few weeks had been particularly hard on drivers who relied on school contracts, as they were not paid a retainer by Neath Port Talbot Council during school holidays. Registration and licensing committee members were today deciding what to do about the survey, which will cost around £15,000.

Originally, the intention was to share this equally between the council and proprietors. Now councillors might ask owners to pay the full cost, or they could make some other decision that might even see the idea dropped. Mr Hoyles said he would be making representations at the meeting for more to be done to protect the trade.

Although he still wants the moratorium imposed, he added: “Anybody putting an application for a licence now would be a really stupid person. It’s dead out there.”

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IDFIMH

Oh well good to see market forces at work

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

I'm guessing here, but I guess prostitutions out of the equasion.

CC

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

I wonder which councillor will point out in a sneering type of way that they dont 'protect' any other businesses?

I hope Mr Hoyles reply will be 'Aye, and thats why they've all closed'.

CC

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

I supposes that depends what kind of gigilo you want

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

One without the need for a splint I guess

CC

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

Hmmm - is it a quadratic eqation (is that prostitution with three punters?).

My guess CC is that your guess is a good guess!

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related