Taxi Driver Online

TAXI PROTEST BRINGS GRIDLOCK


By Martin Neville
TRAFFIC in parts of Newport was brought to a grinding halt on Wednesday when taxi drivers staged a mass slow drive through in a row over taxi rank spaces.


They claim the IW Council is continuing to issue hackney carriage plates without increasing the number of allocated spaces.
And those from the trade say they will continue their protest until an amicable agreement can be reached.
A fleet of around six hackney carriage cabs took part in the protest, which brought gridlock to central Newport.
"If we are such a major part of Cllr Fox's integrated transport policy to get people out of their cars, which he keeps banging on about, why won't he provide us with the necessary space for us to ply our trade?" said Roger Coombes, director of Alpha cars.
"The council seems to bend over backwards for Southern Vectis yet we seem to be the poor relation.
"Most of my drivers are self-employed and we try to keep them busy as much as we can but when it's quiet, it's impossible to find a place on the rank."
The council says in the past 12 months it has increased the number of daytime spaces by 60 per cent with additional spaces near the Guildhall and night-time places by 100 per cent with new spaces at Furrlongs.
John Murphy, licensing officer, said the authority was also looking to allocate more spaces in the new year.
But John Quilter, of Q-Cars, said: "They say that but they don't tell you that they have issued about 500 per cent more plates during the same period.
"There are just five places at the bus station and three spaces near the Guildhall which, when you consider the council has issued 35 plates in Newport, is nowhere near enough. The ones at Cineworld can only be used after 8pm."

Alex

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