Taxi Driver Online

Nottingham taxi drivers to go on strike



HUNDREDS of taxi drivers are set to go on strike in a row over private-hire vehicles picking up passengers in the street.

Nottingham Licensed Taxi Owners' and Drivers' Association, which represents those behind the wheel of hackney carriages, believes the city council is not taking a tough enough stance on the problem.

Driver Nadeem Haider will be among those stopping work for two hours next Tuesday and Wednesday.

He said the growing number of un-booked private-hire cars picking up customers meant there was a "free-for-all" in the city centre at weekends.

He said: "It is not only hurting our business but it is illegal for them to pick up customers if they haven't already booked.

"We pay a lot of money to the council and believe that we should be better looked after. The council should clamp down on this."

Hackney carriage drivers, who operate the dark-green London-style taxis, pay hundreds of pounds to the council for their licences.

They are licensed to pick up passengers from city streets without pre-booking. Private- hire cars are breaking the law if they do so, with passengers not being insured in the event of an accident.

The council says it is "disappointed" by the action, after chief executive Ian Curryer agreed to talks with drivers.

Councillor Jane Urquhart, portfolio holder for planning and transport, said: "We don't believe illegal plying for hire by private taxis is under way in Nottingham on anything like the scale they suggest.

"They are failing to recognise that, whereas previously private taxis were generally booked from home before people went out for the night, customers now have the option to book private taxis from wherever they are in the city, now that most people have mobile phones and apps that make this easy to do.

"It's therefore a flawed assumption that private taxis picking up fares in the city are illegal and uninsured."

The association represents 411 hackney carriages and about 700 drivers, with many taxis shared by two drivers. It is not clear how many will strike, with some telling the Post yesterday they did not intend to.

Mark Cartledge, a driver with private-hire firm DG Cars, believes the action is meaningless.

He said: "I don't know why they are doing it. The council look after their interests well.

"We would like to have the chance to legally ply for hire but we cannot do so. The action will achieve nothing."


Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/TAXIS-SET ... z34P4hnZ4W

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

You can, just get yourself a Nottingham city hackney plate. Simples. In the meantime, I assume, that you will continue to do it illegally.

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Grandad,

i.e. waiting on the rank for a job.

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IDFIMH

Not everyone has a spare £20-30,000.

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IDFIMH

Life is a bitch and all that.

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Grandad,

ahh you've met my wife

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

DODGY

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All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

Nottingham taxi strike causes rush hour chaos


The strike caused traffic chaos


Taxi drivers blockaded the road outside John Lewis on Tuesday morning




A strike by Nottingham's Hackney carriages has left the city centre in chaos during rush hour.

Drivers reportedly blockaded Old Market Square and the road outside John Lewis between 8am and 10am.

Maid Marian Way was also completely blocked.

More than 400 drivers went out on strike.

Driver Javid Ali, 58, from Sherwood, said: "We are not taking fares between 8am and 10am.

"This is not what we want to be doing because after all it is our livelihood and not getting fares means we cannot pay the bills.

"It is all about passenger safety.

"We are sorry for the disruption to people but we have got to make the council listen."

Nottingham Licensed Taxi Owners and Driver's Association Chair, Jamil Ahmed said in a statement:

“Nottingham City Council as a taxi licensing authority is not meeting its obligation to keep taxi law and order during the night time economy in the city centre.

This puts thousands of people in danger when they return from the city over the weekend in un-booked private hire and outer borough taxis. These journeys are not covered by insurance. Only the Hackney taxis can be legally hailed in the city.

Many parents like me, will rightly be deeply concerned that their children might be driven around unprotected and uninsured and that the City Council seems completely uninterested in acting on their responsibility to keep taxis well licensed and safe.

Many of the tourists attracted to the city for its great attractions and choice of night clubs, bars & restaurants are unknowingly stepping into un-booked vehicles of disreputable drivers that litter the city streets and pedestrian walk ways.

I hope that the City Council listens to our concerns and implements new taxi strategy so that taxi law and order can prevail thus ensuring the public receive a safe and dependable taxi service they deserve.”


Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/Nottingha ... z34swpM4VS

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

Here's some of the replies by customers,

I NEVER use Hackney cabs if I go out with the missus on a night out.! £3 quid on the clock before you move away from the kerb.! Suspected something was wrong this morning as I crawled over Clarendon Street onto Derby Road with all my other fellow motorists. And what were traffic wardens doing whilst all this mayhem was going off. Sweet F.A.!


Hackney Cab drivers in Nottingham are trying to enforce a monopoly created by these laws, which they feel entitles them to charge elevated fares. It it not "all about passenger safety"; their concern is not the protection and safety of customers, it is money. Taxis charging reasonable rates are undercutting them and the customers are voting with their feet and not using their services. If they were not so greedy as to elevate their rates, they would not be losing the fares. Being protected by a law granting them exclusivity is a privilege which they should not abuse by reacting with greed.

In February 2013 there was a sexual attack on a woman by a driver of a Hackney cab. The public should boycott all Hackney cabs until this driver is found, arrested and charged. The council regulates the Hackney cabs and should withdraw the licences until this person has been arrested. It is obviously not safe to travel with a Hackney cab.

typical uneducated public

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

Correct, I don't think my reply will get printed.

I love the bit about "elevate their rates". Do these people not realise that everything goes up (insurance, fuel, fees, et all) plus the rising costs of gas electricity bills etc? Every other section of the passenger transport industry puts their rates up and they pay it albeit a few grumbles. Our industry is always the last to raise its fares and we get labelled with the "robbing barstewards" tag

Its nothing to do with "elavating" fares,more all the other tw ats discounting !!

It's companies like DG Cars and Trent cars who are in a fare battle, they're after the student market and are offering them silly rates to get them back to the campus. They expect the black cabs to charge the same rates because people are thick and don't know the difference between the two cars.

The problem with customers thinking that taxis are the only ones with a minimum fare is caused by the taxi meter. As soon as they get in they see £3 on the clock, with ph they don't see that but it's there

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