Taxi Driver Online

Boro Cars taxi firm threatens council
Sep 20 2009 by Phil Doherty, Sunday Sun

A NORTH council could be facing legal action after one of its members overstepped the mark in a taxi war.

Middlesbrough Borough Cars Ltd has instructed a solicitor to recover its lost earnings after a bitter row over who has the right to pick up passengers outside a busy superstore.

The company, known locally as Boro Cars, won the sole right to pick up passengers from Morrisons in Middlesbrough, ousting rival cab firms which had been plying their trade unofficially there for a decade.

The war of words was inflamed further when town councillor Barry Coppinger wrote to the chief executive of Morrisons suggesting that the council was backing the rival companies although the land is owned by the store.

Coun Coppinger used his full title as a member of the council’s executive, it is alleged, to add weight to his arguments instead of writing as a ward councillor. He has since apologised but this was rejected by the Boro Cars in a letter.

According to Boro Cars the row has delayed their introduction as the store’s sole operator, costing them a large, undisclosed, sum in lost earnings.

Company secretary Christine Bell said: “We have selected a solicitor to deal with this issue.

“It has gone too far now and we are looking at a complaint to the council’s Standards Committee as we believe there has been a serious breach of the council code that Mr Coppinger as an executive member of the council should answer.

“This has been ongoing since July and it’s now nearly October and our business has suffered a loss of earnings because of this delay.

“As far as we are concerned his position has been compromised and he should not be in control of policing, enforcement and community safety as an executive member as he oversees taxi regulations.”

The new scheme begins tomorrow and the store is seeking to reach a compromise with the other companies where a taxi rank situated away from the store frontage has been marked out by the council.

A council spokesman said: “The council is not taking any action against Coun Coppinger and nobody has as yet requested that he be referred to the Standards Committee.

“Section 63 of the Local Government Act gives the council the power to create ranks on private land with the owner’s consent. Morrisons have requested the council to mark out a prospective rank before deciding whether such a rank would be appropriate in that location.

“The council has acted properly and within the spirit and requirements of the legislation and Boro Cars have not served any legal proceedings on the council.”

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

Can a supermarket "ban" any taxi from dropping off a customer or picking up a pre booked fare from their car park?

_________________
Grandad,

I dont believe they can.

What surprises me is the claim for exclusive rights, surely all they have is a free phone?

CC

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

Do Morrisons have to apply to the council for a drinks license?

CC

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

I would assume that they do have to have a license to sell alcohol.

_________________
Grandad,

Initially yes, unless they had a license prior to the new act coming in. But they will have to apply to the council should they wish to amend it.

Or if the council catches them selling to under aged youths.

_________________
IDFIMH

I was going to suggest making things difficult for Morrisons......but whats the point, we have cab driver sh*fting cab driver out there.

CC

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