Taxi Driver Online

THE JOURNAL (Newcastle, UK)

March 2, 2007 Friday

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 13

HEADLINE: Cabbies want hackney caps lifted

Councils in the North-East are being urged to lift a cap on taxi driver numbers.

Eight of the 23 councils in the region limit the number of hackney carriage licences allowed.

Only hackneys may pick up passengers who hail them on the street - the rest must be pre-booked.

But taxi drivers say the limits are keeping passengers waiting in queues. Paul Irwin, of East Coast Taxis in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside - which limits licences to 205 against 960 private hire vehicles - said: "It's virtually impossible for a member of the public to hail a hackney carriage in the street, promptly, at any time other than Friday or Saturday evening."

A North Tyneside Council spokeswoman said: "Our regulation and review committee decided to limit the number after carrying out a survey in 2004 which showed there was no significant unmet demand for taxis.

"We are due ... to carry out another survey at the end of this year and councillors will take the result of that into account."

Other authorities with caps are Blyth Valley, Chester-le-Street, Durham City, Newcastle, South Tyneside, Sunderland and Wansbeck.
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Another one to add to the TDO Hall of Fame.

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IDFIMH

I would , and indeed will, question the credibility of the above quote:

"It's virtually impossible for a member of the public to hail a hackney carriage in the street, at any time OTHER THAN A FRIDAY OR SATURDAY EVENING"

Surely some mistake?

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Former taxi driver

I noticed that myself and found it rather odd? lol

Perhaps it was meant to read t's virtually impossible for a member of the public to hail a hackney carriage in the street, on a FRIDAY OR SATURDAY EVENING"

Regards

JD