Taxi Driver Online

Rail bosses pull rank on Newcastle Central Station



TRAIN bosses have moved to a halt a taxi crisis which threatened to disrupt Newcastle’s busiest rank.

East Coast Train bosses have ripped up a contract which had allowed Newcastle Taxi Drivers’ Association the rights to manage the Central Station rank.

With the firm failing to pay more than £126,000 in contact fees the nationalised train company has kicked it out.

Instead the rank’s 220 staff will now be offered the chance to be managed by East Coast, with drivers now having to find two installments of £300 each.

Drivers had been told they need to find the full £600, plus VAT, a move which had seen drivers warn of boycotts and blockades as many would struggle to find the full amount.

A letter sent to drivers reads: “East Coast has no issue with the individual drivers who use the rank and continue to provide a great service for our customers.

“We have listened carefully to your views in the past week and understand your frustration and anger that you have already paid substantial sums to the association.




“We do, however, require some form of payment for use of the rank, as any company would do to use one of its key assets. And, as a company that is publicly-owned, we have a duty to deliver a return for the taxpayer.”

The firm are at a the centre of a police investigation after bosses there brought in officers to investigate missing cash, though the association has continued to take money off drivers since the theft claims, dating back to last September.

Police have made one arrest, with a 40-year-old man arrested and bailed on suspicion of theft.

Drivers now have until March 21 to make payments. East Coast said: “Should you choose not to take up the offer of a temporary permit up to April 30, 2012, you would not be able to operate on the rank from February 22, 2012 – and would be contravening Railway Byelaws should you do so.

“It would also be highly unlikely East Coast would offer you the opportunity to purchase a permit from May 1, 2012.”

Drivers will meet to form a committee tasked with agreeing the new arrangements.

Pervez Khan, on behalf of the association, said drivers were seeking reassurances on the long-term costs. “What we want is to know for definite is what they will ask us to pay. We would hate to see a situation where drivers pay off their money by the March deadline and find the new two-year contract offered to them is higher than they budgeted for, and we will be pushing for firm assurances.”


Read More http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-ea ... z1mMs93BGx

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

Tell them to feck off London drivers dont pay a thing at any of there stations

Who owns the stations in London skip?

CC

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

You just don't get it Skip. If these guys don't pay up, someone else will. Probably a PH company.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

Dont let reality get in the way of skippyland

CC

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

I believe the London terminii are managed differently than stations across the rest of the country although i think there is some arrangement between the PCo and the railways perhaps GBC could enliten us when he returns to the forum

Basically Newcastle is being brought back into line with other east Coast stations where the drivers pay individually BUT that does not mean to say that if at some point in the future someone comes along such as a PH firm and offers more money for exclusive rights that the railway company won't take their cash and boot out the Hackneys anyway

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

From memory didn't drivers pay a lot more than that to the association? I think it was in excess of a grand.

So in effect they are getting a reduction.

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IDFIMH

Thats true.....but there's wont be much in the way of policing it now.....the rail cops work the trains.

CC

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

As I read this, the £600 is only for a temporary pass up to the end of April. After April, they don't know the cost. If drivers don't buy the temporary pass they may not be able to buy any pass after April.

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Grandad,

You might be right, but I doubt they are charging £300 a month.

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IDFIMH