Taxi Driver Online

More than 200 hundred taxis will take to the city’s streets in protest this afternoon
http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/chest ... -24917656/

TAXIS will bring Chester City centre to a stand still this afternoon when more than 200 black cabs and private hire cars hold an unprecedented protest.

Chester Licensed Hackney Association have organised a rolling road blocks between the city’s ranks from 12.30pm today, and for the first time they will be joined by private hire cars too.

Frustrated drivers are pleading with Cheshire West and Chester to carry out a survey, paid for by the drivers, to analyse demand for taxis in the city.

In the wake of the council lifting restrictions on numbers they claim the ranks are over-crowded, there are too many cars too few jobs, suffocating the trade.

Secretary of the Chester Licensed Hackney Association Chris Farrell said: “We want to apologise to the public for any inconvenience but we are really stuck. The council aren’t listening to us. We have had numerous emails, letters and meetings and nothing has been done. We are banging our heads against a brick wall and until they do something about it we will continue protesting.”

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

Cabbies create chaos as they protest in Chester
http://www.chesterfirst.co.uk/news/8011 ... ester.aspx


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FURIOUS taxi drivers gridlocked traffic in Chester city centre and demanded that councillors listen to their concerns about their livelihoods.

About 150 vehicles, more than 100 of them Hackney carriages, were involved in the one-hour protest yesterday staged at various locations across the city.

Drivers represented by Chester Licensed Hackney Association (CLHA) began a noisy procession at Chester Railway Station just after noon. Many vehicles displayed signs decrying the Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC).

Protesters then made their way past Chester Town Hall and the new HQ building, soon to be the new home of CWaC, before ending the protest on the steps of County Hall.

The day’s events formed part of a long-running saga that began after the former Chester City Council decided to allow an unlimited number of black cabs to obtain licences in the city.

That decision was approved by the Town Hall leadership. An opposition bid for an Unmet Demand Survey, to be paid for by the drivers, to be carried out and assessed before a final decision was made was rejected at a licensing panel meeting.

The drivers became enraged following the decision. They say their livelihoods are at stake as they must now compete with a surplus of new cab drivers who have since flooded the area.

Chester Hackney Carriage Association chairman Richard Barker said the number of licensed cab drivers had risen from 77 in 2008 to more than 111 today.

He claimed that when the administration took power they had promised they would put forward a recommendation of a survey to get the drivers’ perspectives on the situation.

But he said: “That promise has been broken. We understand the survey is expensive but we are willing to pay for the survey. They’re not listening to us. We want to sit around the table so they can make their decision on a more informed basis.”

He added: “This protest was the first of many more protests that will take place until the council listens to the problems we have.

“All we ask the council to do is make their decision on a more informed basis. We appreciate the council has changed hands and we don’t doubt policy has changed.
“But surely with common sense and dignity they will speak to us.”

Chester and Cheshire West Private Hire Association member John Barnett, who has also served as a private hire taxi driver in the city for the last 16 years, said: “I speak for a number of private hire taxi drivers when I say that our livelihoods have been hit hard by the increase in the number of both Hackney carriage and private hire vehicles working in the city. Wages are down by at least 30 to 40 per cent. That it is a big reduction and so many of us are increasingly feeling the strain.

“Earning power has been diminshed quite substantially as a result in the increase in the number of taxi drivers being licensed, but the council do not listen when we tell them that there is not enough work out there to match the increase in driver numbers.”

However, CWaC leader Cllr Mike Jones said the current situation was “all the former Chester City Council’s work”.

He said the Conservative administration had decided to look at the problems but agreed the numbers should remain delimited.

“The cab drivers took this to a judicial review last year,” he said. “The High Court judge threw it out.”

Now there are 100 Hackney carriages in the area and 150 vehicles for private hire.
“We have 8.5 million visitors every year. There is a very important duty for the cab driver in this city,” said Cllr Jones.

“My view is the cab drivers should button down and start to compete for the work and get down to business because there is more than enough work for them out there.”

Tory Cllr Brian Crowe, who is also chairman of the CWaC licensing committee, added: “It’s a free country. They must do as they see fit.

“The Hackney Association can have as many of these distractions as they like, but they can be assured that the council’s aim will always be protection and safety for everyone, every day and all day.

“Don’t they realise it’s tough out there for everyone right now?”

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

100 HC & 150 PH. Thats the same number before the limits were removed??

Exactly.

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IDFIMH

Thats what I have been banging on about de-reg for. In fact I would even suggest that the overall figure from 6 years ago was more than that! I seem to remember 260+ cars at King Kab alone & 40+ at Abbey and 20+ at another smaller company. We had 20 PH at our little company as well. Then there was the HC vehicles and all the indi PH, I suspect there was 450+. So if there is only 250 now thats 200 less, mmm

Someone has the figures wrong cos there are about 500 PH and 111 Hackneys.

The biggest PH firm in Chester has 330 alone !!!

I think councillors Jones and Crowe need Flanaganed.

Complete f*ckwits who haven't a f*cking clue about a trade they govern with impunity......that's probably controversial.

CC

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

that sounds more like it!

What exactly do you mean by 'Exactly' Are you suggesting that even if an area de-regs there will be little change in the number of HC's on the road?

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

No, but the total number of licensed vehicles shouldn't change that much.

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IDFIMH

Thats right, most of the NEW Black Van drivers are ex PH jocks.

Out of approx 37 new licenses issued I reckon the breakdown is 15 ex PH drivers 20 existing Hackney drivers who rented and 2 brand new to the trade.

So remind me ..... How many hackney's were there..... and how many are there now..... in what period of time...

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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!

77 july 2008

111 Now

Thank you... so does everybody need a radio now

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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!