Taxi Driver Online

Leeds taxi drivers in strike threat


UNHAPPY: Paul Landau and fellow taxi drivers at the spot of a proposed new taxi rank at Leeds Bradford Airport.

Taxi drivers are threatening strike action over their long- running dispute concerning the new rank at Leeds-Bradford airport.


Scores of hackney drivers have voted to take possible strike action unless they can meet council leader Keith Wakefield to discuss the issue.

Debate has been raging for several years about the provision of a rank opposite the airport terminal on Whitehouse Lane. The airport was sold off by Leeds and its partner councils in 2007 and its new bosses re-tendered the provision of taxi services to a private-hire company in 2008.

The hackney operators have always insisted this was unfair, and have argued that city centre congestion has increased as the city’s 500-plus licensed hackney taxis – no longer able to wait at the airport – ply for trade. Senior councillors have also thrown their weight behind the rank, arguing that a new drop-off charge introduced at the airport had increased congestion, and have promised to press the airport’s owners on the issue.

Now many drivers, members of the Leeds hackney carriage branch of Unite the Union, are angry. They say decision-makers are dragging their feet.

They have now given the council leader until 2pm on Thursday to agree to meet them and avoid a demonstration or walkout.

The exact method of the possible action has not yet been confirmed, previous demonstrations and go-slows in the city centre have led to roads chaos.

Paul Landau, branch chairman of Unite the Union, told the council leader in a letter seen by the YEP, that there could be “possible demonstrations or even strike action in view of Leeds City Council ... promising a review of rank provision at Leeds Bradford International Airport ”.

“Quite frankly we’d like him to sit down with us and clarify the issue,” Mr Landau told the YEP.

“We are just being led a merry dance. We want clarification of the situation. If it is going to be a ‘no, just say ‘no’,

“We have written countless letters, and Leeds City Council have been given every opportunity to talk to us. It’s been four years. But we have got to a point that we have said enough is enough.”

The issue has already caused much internal wrangling at the council.

The YEP reported recently that councillors were demanding to know more after the estimated cost of the taxi rank increased more than ten-fold to almost £1 million.

Mr Landau added in his letter to Coun Wakefield: “We were given assurances that if the airport did not agree to discuss ways forward, then the matter would press ahead.”

A spokesman for Leeds City Council said: “We remain committed to working towards finding a resolution to this issue.”

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... 1-4450200#

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

estimated cost of the taxi rank increased more than ten-fold to almost £1 million



My mate the tarmac and my mate the paint, 1M for some lines to be painted and a sign errected, oh c'mon where do they get these figures from, and who are they paying to do it,

Me smells a PH contract waiting to be awarded to someones mate holding his envelope full of bent cash.

We're in the wrong job obviously......if they'd asked me, CC enterprises Ltd, we'd have done it for £999,999.

CC

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

I'm sure the cabbies could have done it themselves for the price of the paint and the sign !!

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

the bloke on the right of the pic....he didnt want to be photographed and I'm wondering why

CC

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

Before we where licenced here, I painted one for 6 cabs, but I had to pay £80 for the privilege.
when they came and burnt it off the next day.
2 months later they came and put it back line for line, I should have asked for a refund

£80 for emulsion?

CC

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

Yes, the cleaning bill for cleaning the queens highway, and for the constables uniform when he decided to grab a loaded 6 inch wide brush that slipped out of my hand and went all down his front

pmsl

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

Che Skippy.

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IDFIMH

'Paul Landau, branch chairman of Unite the Union'
Apt name for a cabbie, and it looks as though he's just finished his shift on the binwagon.

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

Maybe he isn't a driver and he just happened to be there talking to one of his mates and the mush taking the photo asked him to step out of the picture.

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Grandad,

Think the chap comes on here from time to time, and seems like a nice fella.

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IDFIMH

for a binman

CC

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