Taxi Driver Online

Taxis in turmoil

HUNDREDS of taxi drivers staged a mass demonstration calling on Sheffield Council to make it easier for them to earn a living. Around 200 black cab drivers armed with placards and banners staged their protest outside the city's town hall hoping councillors and licensing officials would take an interest in their plight.

The drivers included 50 who brought parts of the city to a halt when they formed a convoy in their cabs and travelled to the demonstration sounding their horns. They are calling for more taxi ranks to be made available, claiming there are around 700 cab drivers but just 56 spaces for them to park up and wait for trade in the city. They also want licensing officials to investigate their claims that some cab drivers from outside the area are travelling to Sheffield and stealing work.

Another concerns is that all the city's cab drivers have to use just one council registered garage to have MOTs carried out on their vehicles.
Drivers say that because of the number of cabs working in the city there is often a long waiting list and they can be off the road for weeks at a time waiting for their appointment.

Malcolm Berry, assistant secretary of the Sheffield Taxi Trade Association, which organised the protest, said: "The huge turn-out for this protest shows just how seriously we are all taking this. "Most of our problems stem down to one thing - the council won't cap the number of taxis that can work in this city, so there isn't enough trade for us, there aren't enough rank spaces and the waiting times to go for an MOT are causing us huge problems. Drivers are struggling to earn a living now so we have said enough is enough and are calling on the council to listen to us and to do something about the problems.

Tariq Jamshaid, who has been a cabbie for 13 years, said: "Over the past two or three years the number of black cabs in this city has doubled but there are still just 56 rank spaces for us, and some of them are outside nightclubs where you don't pick up any customers through the day. "We just want the council to listen to us and to do something about our problems because we are all feeling let down."

The cab drivers have threatened to stage another convoy involving every cab driver, unless the council takes action. John Bann, head of transport and highways for the council, said a review of all the city's taxi ranks was being carried out and there were plans to make more spaces available.

_________________
IDFIMH

Some valid points at the start, but when you get to the numbers cap plea you realise what it's really all about.

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

not having enough rank space.
thats a first isnt it?
they want to restrict why havent they got the balls to say so.