Taxi Driver Online

The Independent (London)

April 10, 1991, Wednesday

Strike threat by Asian private hire drivers

ASIAN private hire drivers in Bradford may go on strike over what they say is a racist campaign by police and council officers to stop them plying for trade on the streets.

They insist the laws which stop them taking fares without prior booking - unlike hackney carriage drivers - are denying them a living.

They claim that police officers are trying to entrap them by posing as drinkers or party-goers outside pubs and clubs, pretending to want a lift, then delivering the drivers to council inspectors who begin legal action. This has yielded dozens of successful prosecutions for illegally plying for trade and many more are pending.

The the strike is being headed by Mushtaq Ahmed, a former private hire driver, whose clashes with the authorities have led him to give up his job and lodge a complaint against the police alleging aggressive and intimidatory behaviour.

He and other organisers of the strike claim it is their colour which has prompted what they believe to be an underhand enforcement of a law which protects a privileged cartel.

The strike is due to take place over a weekend later this month.

Police and Bradford council officers say their actions are an attempt to enforce the law, stop the streets being flooded by private hire cars, protect the legitimate business of hackney carriage drivers and save the public from being given lifts in cars which do not have proper insurance.

Chief Insp Rod West, of Bradford police, denies any allegations of racial harassment: ''It is totally untrue and totally unfair. The action has been taken to enforce the law, be they white, Asian or whatever. There is no suggestion of racism. The interests of the public are at heart.''

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I'll bet this would have gone down a storm had TDO been around in 1991.

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Grandad,

Another one who thinks the law should'nt apply to him.

i wish the police in my area had the same attitude. why is it that some police forces take a Different view than others ,they should all be singing from the same hymn sheet.

Don't forget that this was 18 years ago. Police targets have changed.

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Grandad,

Yes, now they pretend to give a sh*t but they still don't.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

Nah, I don't think they even pretend.

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Grandad,