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Dundee Private Hire chief criticises Dundee Taxi Association-led Marketgait boycott
A prominent figure in the city's taxi trade has taken issue with Dundee Taxi Association and its proposed boycott of Marketgait this weekend

21st April 2011

Chief executive of Dundee Private Hire Dave Young said the DTA was unrepresentative of the trade in general, and pledged taxis and private hire vehicles will serve the area over the Easter holiday.

He said the DTA's meeting on Tuesday night that decided on a boycott was attended by about 100 drivers, while there were about 1600 taxi/private hire drivers in the city operating some 850 cars.

"The majority of the drivers are happy to pick up customers from the G Casino and will be doing so this weekend," he said. "There is a problem with picking up customers in the street outside because it is a clearway and there are safety concerns."

"But there is a designated area for taxis and private hire vehicles round the back which we can use, and passengers can go there for a vehicle in complete safety. If someone wants a vehicle in that area at the weekend, they can phone and we will be there."

"The DTA say there is an insurance issue about using the designated area but I don't understand what that means. My company has no problem about using the designated area and will continue to use it.

"The DTA say they are speaking for Dundee taxi drivers but they are not. They don't speak for the majority and there is another side of the argument which is not being heard."

Mr Young criticised the DTA over its handling of taxi matters, including the possible arrival of rules on wheelchair access vehicles and a cap on numbers, and claimed they were not acting in the best interests of the industry.

Another leading light in the trade warned against a "knee-jerk reaction."

Chair of Dundee Hackney Association Erik Thoresen said, "This (the boycott) is tantamount to scaremongering. Dundee Taxi Association doesn't represent the majority of the taxi trade — the Dundee public have nothing to worry about."

"There's no point taking a knee-jerk reaction. You've got to find out exactly what's happening."

Source; http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Dundee ... ycott.html

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I wonder if the boss of 203020 knows that it was his drivers who arranged the meeting and it was his drivers who voted on a boycott the dta chairman only chaired the meeting.
The drivers at the meeting where all drivers who had not been allowed to drop of or pick up from a casino that holds 2000 people.IT has taken 18 months for them to realize that it is not safe to drop of or pick up there.
Most of Dundee's night ranks are unofficial so until there is official ranks then drivers are going to rank up at places where they can make a living.
The reason the drivers are boycotting the area is because they will get a ticket if they drop of or pick up if the police get their plate number also they do not want their taxis damaged with irate punters wanting a taxis.

I'd like to know why councils deliberately make it difficult to pick up.

Take the Gassmarket in Edinburgh for example.

The council put in two crossings with over extended zigzags and double lines which makes the whole street virtually impossible to pick up without risking the ire of cops who should have better things to do.

The council did put in a couple of small ranks, but if there's one street which doesn't need a rank it's this one. The street is a natural cruising route and is always awash with cabs passing through it.

In fact it's embarrassing when you're about to pick up and you notice a lone soul sitting on a rank and you have to defer the fare to him. The punters just get irate that they have to get out again.

So, why make it so hard for us to do the job. It's in the council and the cops best interest for us to clear the streets as quick as poss. So why persecution.

Another thing about the Grassmarket, the council closed the Cowgate from 10pm to 5 am because someone itinerant member of the public wandering about in the middle of the road was killed by a feckwit driver who was travelling too fast for the conditi0ons. Knowing that pedestrians are unaccountable they closed the street.

Now that might seem ok except the C`owgate is the natural route to the pubs in the Grassmarket. The other roads into it are also restricted. Victoria street is one way up from the Grassmarket.

You can't trun right from George IV into Candlemaker Row, although for cabs there would be no problem if it were allowed.

So the alternative, depending from which direction coming from in the city centre is either a hike round the west end, or a tour round the one way. Either call the punters think you're taking the pash, even when explained to them.

So, why make it unnecessarily difficult.

And when will councils and cops get the message about folks hailing cabs. The y don't care about pedestrian crossings, double yellows, corners, bad junctions or whatever. They see a cab and they want it.

And cabbies, particularly now that fares are hard to come by, just want the fare.

All this leads to cops harvesting tickets from cabbies just trying to do their job and serving punters just wanting to get home.

It might be nice to have a night club with a clearway in front of it. And the usual excuse of public safety can be trotted out.

But the fact is that it is no more safe put in place public safety measures if the public don't follow the rules. It's just bad design by planners, passed by politicians and which gives cops the job of policing the unworkable.

I'm sure it's the same in Dundee as here in Edinburgh. The council comes up with the plan, but hasn't consulted with those who have to work round that plan before it is implemented.

Notwithstanding this, the public won't care about a boycott. They're not going to support it. None of them will complain to the council in support. They'll just get into those cars which will be available and mark down another black mark against bolshie overpaid cabbies.

Those controlling the DTA and other like organisations really need to take a look at themselves. The quality of leadership hasn't progressed beyond the playground. Solutions which need to take time are being demanded instantly by yah boo playground petulance.

This can only make matters worse.

We have been asking for a liaison meeting since last may but our request has fallen on deaf ears but the first sign of some sort of protest and a meeting is called within a week we do not want to be running to the press all the time but its the only way that we can get a meeting.

Go and sit outside stereo's when its kicking out time you will get loads of fares
Turned down loads on sat night