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Taxi drivers cause disruption at mass go slow protest in Dudley


Taxi drivers protest in Dudley townTaxi drivers protest in Dudley town

DRIVERS in Dudley faced delays during a mass protest by taxi drivers ahead of tonight's full council meeting.

Up to 100 taxis drove slowly around the town centre to protest against council rules which force drivers registered in Dudley to use vehicles painted white.

Drivers assembled in Priory Road in large numbers ahead of the demonstration which began shortly after 5pm and lasted around 30 minutes.

Campaign leaders say they intend to mount a legal challenge against the policy which they argue forces them to have to buy more expensive vehicles.

Shaz Saleem, chairman of the Dudley Private Hire and Taxi Association, said: "I apologise to the people stuck here but this action speaks better than words.

"We have been willing to talk since day one."

Cllr Richard Body, chairman of Dudley Council's taxi committee, said: "I am open to debate and will listen to drivers."

video of event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHozn0YXAeE

source: http://www.dudleynews.co.uk/news/103564 ... in_Dudley/


Minicab protest brings Dudley to a halt

A town centre was brought to a standstill as minicab drivers took to the streets to stage a go-slow protest. Dozens of cars filled the roads surrounding Dudley Council House in protest at its rulings on the colours of minicabs.

Current regulations state drivers can only use white-coloured cars in the borough. But members of Dudley Private Hire and Taxi Association want a second colour to be introduced.

During the demonstration before a full council meeting yesterday afternoon around 100 minicabs were driven along Ednam Road and to Priory Road where the drivers blasted their horns as they went past the council house.

Cars snaked around Priory Street and St James’s Road causing queues to build up in the town centre.

The protest lasted around 40 minutes and organiser Shaz Saleem, who runs two minicab bases in the borough and is chairman of the association said he was pleased with the turnout.

He said: “We have been forced into this because the council has refused to change its policy. We wanted to show the strength of feeling and a make a stand against these unfair rules. More than 1,000 people have signed a petition which shows how many feel the same way about this. We just want the council to introduce a second colour and make it fairer for drivers making a living.”

He said he couldn’t rule out further demonstrations in the future and urged the council to reconsider their request.

The association lost a vote of Dudley Council’s taxi committee members last month to abolish the rules and are now threatening legal action.

Members argue white cars are more expensive because of the popularity of the colour. The council says having a single colour scheme allows customers to identify fully licensed minicabs.

Senior councillor Pete Lowe, who watched the protest, said: “I have sympathy for the plight of the drivers and I hope we can find a resolution which everyone is happy with.”

source: http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2013 ... to-a-halt/

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoQYw49saqc

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

Cllr demands apology from Tory opponent as taxi row continues


AN outraged Wollescote Labour councillor is demanding a Tory opponent withdraws a remark implying that he missused his powers as chairman of the borough’s taxi committee.

Hayley Green and Cradley South councillor Ken Turner caused uproar at Monday’s full council meeting when he implied Cllr Richard Body had voted for his friends over an appeal by drivers to be allowed to have taxis in colours other than white.

Cllr Body, who represents the Lye and Wollescote ward, is calling on Cllr Turner to publicly revoke his comments or face being reported to the standards committee, which regulates members’ behaviour in public office.

The outspoken Conservative rounded on Cllr Body during a heated exchange sparked by a go-slow protest by about 100 taxi drivers prior to the council meeting in Dudley as they vented their fury at the authority’s refusal to allow them any other colour of vehicle than white, which they claim are more expensive to buy.

The decision had been made at a previous taxi committee meeting, chaired by Cllr Body, who cast his vote in support of the Dudley Private Hire and Taxi Association.

At Monday’s meeting fellow committee member Cllr Turner claimed Cllr Body had admitted to being close to association chairman and campaign leader Shaz Saleem, who is a former Labour election candidate.

He said: “Cllr Body made the comment “I know who my friends are”.”

But he denies knowing Mr Saleem, other than having met him as chairman of the taxi committee.

“I have put a complaint to the legal officer asking him to ask Ken Turner to drop his allegation which was an outrageous lie,” said Cllr Body, adding: “He has raised doubts about my conduct as chairman.”

Cllr Turner told the News the decision at the taxi committee had been made “democratically”, adding: “I was just asking the question - I wanted him to clarify what he meant.”

The councillor said he had witnesses from the committee who would verify that Cllr Body made the comment and he “would look forward to” being taken to the standards committee.

Cllr Body has also rejected calls for his resignation over the issue from Conservative Group leader Cllr Patrick Harley, saying he had done nothing wrong.

http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/1 ... continues/

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

Dudley white minicab ruling is unlikely to change

Controversial rules permitting minicab drivers to use only white-coloured cars are unlikely to be changed despite cabbies pledging to pursue legal action to fight the ruling, it emerged today.

Dudley Private Hire and Taxi Association wants Dudley Council to re-think its regulations on car colour and staged a protest in the town this week bringing traffic to a standstill.

Despite the action, councillors today said the issue was unlikely to be discussed again in the short-term and any possible change to the regulations could now be years away.

And while leading campaigners were apologetic for disruption caused by the action, they remain determined to get the rules overturned and were planning legal action.

The association recently lost its bid to get the regulations abolished when Dudley Council’s taxi committee voted the rule should be retained.

Members of the association say white cars are more expensive because of the popularity of the colour – with some even forced to respray their vehicles to comply with the rule.

They want a second colour to be introduced but the council says having a single colour scheme allows customers to safely identify fully-licensed private hire cars.

Committee member Councillor Jackie Cotterill said: “I don’t believe this will come before the committee again at any time in the near future. Of course it will be looked at again periodically but this will not be in the immediate term.”

Councillor Cotterill said she did not believe the issue would be reviewed again within the next year now a decision had been made.

Chairman of Dudley Private Hire and Taxi Association Shaz Saleem said the campaign would continue.

And Mr Saleem would not rule out further protests in the future but pledged disruption would be kept to a minimum if action does happen again.

“I want to apologise to people stuck in the traffic at this week’s protest but we want to get our feelings across,” he said.

source: http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2013 ... to-change/

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

Controversial rules that have been in place 17 years

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

Private Hire with Top Signs???

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IDFIMH

Minicab drivers in fresh talks with Dudley Council over vehicle colour rules


Minicab leaders are in talks with Dudley Council to resolve their dispute over colour restrictions for their vehicles.

Drivers are hoping to put forward acceptable amended plans to satisfy the borough’s taxi committee which has refused to lift a ban on any colour other than white been used so that passengers are clear they are being collected by a licensed private hire car.

The drivers say they are being unfairly penalised by the rule, which does not apply in neighbouring boroughs or to hackney carriages, claiming white cars are rare and often more expensive.

But after a row erupted at last week’s full council meeting following a go-slow protest by in the town centre streets, Dudley Taxi and Private Hire Association chairman Shaz Saleem is refusing to speak to the Conservative opposition and is calling for Tory taxi committee member Councillor Ken Turner is resign.

He accused Tory leader Cllr Patrick Harley, who branded their protest “disgraceful” of failing to support the drivers.

Mr Saleem said: “Cllr Harley along with the Conservative Group have shown no support for our self-employed taxi driver members.

“They have proven to have a lack of understanding for the concerns of Dudley taxi drivers during these difficult financial times. Mr Harley is a closed-minded individual and is out of touch with the taxi industry as is Cllr Ken Turner.”

He said Cllr Turner, who supports the single colour rule, had an “anti-taxi driver mentality and the association have no confidence in him in deciding the fate of drivers livelihoods. Mr Turner should resign from the taxi committee.”

Both Mr Saleem and Cllr Turner agree that public safety is the priority and the Hayley Green and Cradley South member said he would not quit the taxi committee.

Cllr Turner added: “My primary concern is the safety of our residents, always has been and always will be. I fully support the one-colour, distinctive colour.”

Meanwhile, taxi committee chairman Cllr Richard Body has dropped his bid to haul Cllr Turner in front of the standards committee for alleging he had voted for his friends in supporting the taxi drivers’ rule change application.

source: http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/1 ... our_rules/

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