Taxi Driver Online

Court Reprieve for Birmingham Airport Taxi Drivers

Jun 18 2009

by Paul Suart, Birmingham Post

More than 250 taxi drivers were back on the ranks at Birmingham Airport last night after winning a High Court injunction.

Members of the Birmingham and Solihull Taxi Association (BASTA) lost an airport contract earlier this month to rival firm Passenger Transport Services (PTS) despite serving the terminal since 1951.

But now an injunction permits BASTA members to work from the airport until contractual matters are resolved in the High Court hearing scheduled for between July 13 and 17.

The news came as former drivers from BASTA, who joined PTS so they could continue to operate from the airport, said they had been threatened physically and their vehicles sabotaged.

According to sources, at least ten cabs working at the airport had been vandalised and there had been threats to drivers.

A source close to the airport said there had been a dozen attacks on drivers who had switched to PTS ranging from paint stripper thrown over cars to brake cables being cut and windows smashed.

One former BASTA member, who did not want to be named, said his taxi had been damaged and he had received “aggressive” text messages.

“Since I signed to work for PTS my taxi has been attacked, scratches on the front and sides and a wing mirror kicked off.

“I’ve had aggressive text messages and many drivers have said similar things,” he said.

The majority of the 240 PTS drivers left the airport yesterday as BASTA drivers returned to the terminal.

Earlier this week a newsletter was issued by the Friends of the Hackney Carriage Drivers in Birmingham and Solihull naming all the BASTA drivers who had joined PTS and calling them “selfish scums”.

No one from the group has been available to comment.

BASTA chairman Irfaan Ahmed said the association was not responsible for the newsletter or the alleged incidents, which have not been confirmed by the police, and claims the High Court injunction was a “victory for the people”.

“We don’t do those kind of things, we like to go down legal channels,” he said.

“When the airport issued the tender they wanted us to have new cabs which was not economically viable.

“Never did they say if you don’t sign this contract it will be farmed out.

“The last contract (a five-year deal signed in 2004) took me eight months to sign and there was no problem.

“We want those drivers who moved out to come back to us and we can work together because at the end of the day they are our fellow man.

“We have set a precedent – we are small people who have taken them to court and won.

“It’s a victory for the people.”

Mike Gilbert, managing director of PTS, said he was pleased to have many of the BASTA drivers back.

He said: “Suddenly we’ve got a lot more drivers here.

“A lot of the guys have been wonderful – we don’t like the people who have caused trouble but the majority are good guys.”

An airport spokesperson said: “We understand BASTA applied for a High Court judicial review concerning the termination of its licence to provide the Hackney Carriage operation at the airport.

“An injunction has been served by the High Court to allow BASTA drivers to provide interim services at the airport and to maintain the status quo. The airport is receiving legal advice.”

_________________
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Brummie Cabbie.

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Are they that surprised?

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IDFIMH

Its only cab drivers working for another company that now has the signed contract to provide cab services at the airport for another 5 years, using cabs.

The majority of drivers in Brum do not belong to BASTA & never want to.

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Brummie Cabbie.

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I think all areas have hot-heads, and when a major contract such as this goes elsewhere, then the hot-heads will cross the line.

Not agreeing with it, but that's the way it is in many areas.

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IDFIMH

It is really very hot there at the moment.

The police & airport authorities have had to step in today & separate PTS & BASTA drivers; all of them cabbies.

PTS drivers have remained in the corral, the usual feeder park for the main rank & BASTA drivers are now feeding onto the main rank from Long Stay Car Park 2, which was very quickly renamed by the PTS drivers as the 'Swat Valley'.

The PTS marshalls on the main rank can only call up even number of cabs from the corral & Swat Valley.

So if they need 4 cabs, 2 come from the corral & 2 from Swat Valley.

Nice & fair that way.

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Brummie Cabbie.

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_________________
IDFIMH

Been to the Airport today and didn't see any cabs waiting, seen plenty of PH waiting for work. Whats with the £1 drop off charge outside T2?? It's a F***IN scam.

The airport was well busy today.

60,000 to 80,000 delegates coming in for the Rotary 100th Annual International Convention which starts on Sunday for four days.

That is why cabs were in short supply.

Also, 150+ BASTA members went on a coach trip to the High Court in Cardiff, where Birmingham Airport's legal team were trying to overturn the BASTA injunction against the airport.

Judgement due on Tuesday 23rd June.

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Brummie Cabbie.

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It would appear that the airport folks don't want them back then.

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IDFIMH

I did witness an arguement between two black cab drivers from my dropoff by the pay meters zone, I got the impression they are trying to keep the 2 "parties" apart on the same rank.....


could be fun!

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

You witnessed ONLY ONE ARGUMENT!!!

You obviously arrived at a quiet time then.

Yes the PTS drivers and BASTA drivers are being kept apart in two separate feeder parks; PTS drivers are in the original corral feeder & BASTA drivers are in Long Stay 2 (now renamed by PTS drivers as Swat Valley).

The fun starts when they are brought together on the main airport rank; they are feed from the two feeders in equal numbers (1 + 1, 2 +2 etc).

But the PTS marshalls have twigged this & are only filling the main rank half full to try to reduce the arguments to a minimum.

There are a lot of Asian upper cast BASTA drivers putting extreme pressure on the Asian lower cast PTS drivers to boycott the airport & rejoin BASTA.

Many of the Pataans, who for years have not been able to work the airport, have now joined PTS & won't stand any intimidation from the Asian upper cast BASTA drivers.

The one good thing is that I am learning a few words in Urdu; not the kind of words you would say to a lady though.

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Brummie Cabbie.

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It would appear that the airport are not minded to have BASTA back at the airport.

Within a week of PTS taking over the airport taxi contract, it is fair to say that the airport authorities began to be quite impressed at the standard of drivers & their overall presentation.

I think it is also fair to say that the airport's impression of driver presentation & overall service quality continues to grow & they are more than happy with how PTS & its drivers are developing the standards of service.

From yesterday, no PTS driver could continue to work the airport unless & until they had a mobile Chip & Pin machine or had registered to have one delivered. Driver's Chip & Pin machines are delivered to the airport every Thursday for those drivers who have registered for one.

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

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Hello Brummie... where have you been hiding... is it true that the drivers have to get their chip and pin machines from PTS.. and if they already have one from someone else, return it.

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Allegedly, this was the initial requirement on 1st June, but this was quickly eased & now as long as the driver has a mobile Chip & Pin technology machine, it does not matter whether it is from ComCab, TOA, BASTA or an independent source, as long as the driver has the technology.

As for '... where have you been hiding...'; see General Issues later today.

ALL will be revealed.........

Watch that space!!

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

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Dehli comes to the Midlands....

and no-one can stop it

_________________
Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most