Taxi Driver Online

Newcastle taxi drivers' protest over station work

Taxi drivers in Newcastle claim improvements being made to the city's railway station are hitting their trade

Cabbies are to come together to fight against new parking arrangements at Newcastle’s Central Station.

Since the building’s historic portico was closed off, taxi drivers say their passenger numbers have halved.

They claim some drivers have been left waiting more than an hour for a fare and face the prospect of earning just £16 for half a day’s work. Others complain they are being hounded by traffic wardens as they are struggling to find anywhere to park because the new station rank has just four parking spaces, which they pay more than £2,000 a year to use.

Drivers will now take part in a protest against the improvements and will avoid pulling their vehicles into the parking bays.

Taxi driver Paul Robinson, 45, of Westerhope, Newcastle, is one of the drivers taking part on July 1.

Mr Robinson, who has been a taxi driver for the past 25 years, said: “We are going to move from the station rank back to the spaces outside of the hotel.

“If everyone starts to work from there then we will all be in the same position.

“We have to pay £2,030 every year for a permit and now there are only four spaces, it’s an absolute disgrace.”

Bosses from East Coast say they always intended to increase the number of hackney carriage parking bays available to the drivers. They say that there will soon be between eight and 11 bays available and that they are working with Newcastle City Council and business group NE1 on a project to improve access to the area of the city centre.

An East Coast spokesman said: “The management of taxi permits at Newcastle station was taken in-house by East Coast at the drivers’ own request.

“Since then, East Coast has worked with taxi providers to create additional opportunities to gain custom.

“There are currently more than 200 taxi permits in use, with more drivers on a waiting list to join.

“Hackney Carriage drivers currently pay £1,692 (excluding VAT) a year for a permit, which reflects the market value of access to the station. This fee has risen by just 2.5% in the last year – that’s below the current 2.9% inflation rate.

“Newcastle Central Station has the largest footfall of all 12 East Coast managed stations. At others, such as York, Darlington and Durham, permit prices are also set in line with size and footfall at each location.”

“The transformation of Central Station is an exciting scheme which will provide an impressive gateway to Newcastle.

“We believe all station users, including taxi drivers, will ultimately benefit from the development.

“Passenger usage at the station is expected to rise, and we expect this will particularly benefit the taxi drivers in the long-term.”

source: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor ... er-4702884

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

Now they are on PUBLIC LAND, why are they still paying to rank

because they are silly billy's.

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

How much have fares risen in the last year?

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Newcastle hasn't any associations that can meet with the LA for fare increases - I don't know how long it has been since their last increase but I do know the starting rate in some minicabs is £1

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

I wouldn't let them in for £1 let alone start the engine ffs, I was actually referring to the fares in the taxis tho.

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!