Taxi Driver Online

Cab drivers hold protest outside Luton Town Hall over 'safety issues'



Hackney and private hire drivers protest outside Luton town hall yesterday morning

MORE than 50 drivers attended a protest outside Luton Town Hall yesterday over safety issues and the 'unfair' issuing of licenses.

The protest was organised by Luton Hackney Carriage Association and Luton Borough Drivers Union with the aim of raising a number of longstanding issues they have had with Luton Borough Council.

In a jointly released statement the two groups raised their concerns, which include fears the public could be at risk from drivers who are operating in Luton but not under the jurisdiction of Luton Borough Council (LBC).

Mushtaq Ahmed, chairman of Luton Borough Drivers Union, said: "We wanted to show our anger about how Luton Borough Council are turning a blind eye to us.

"The next step is to arrange a meeting with Luton Borough Council so we can hear their side.

"Any further protests will be subject to the outcome of the proposed meeting."

The statement released by the two groups read: "Drivers suspended by Luton Borough Council for serious offences are back working in Luton with Uber.

"[The] council is ignoring the lessons of Rotherham Child Sexual Exploitation Case which involved taxis and minicabs working unchecked outside their licensed zones.

"Lack of enforcement increases public vulnerability; Councillors and Licensing Enforcement will be held directly accountable for any unfortunate incident as they have been repeatedly warned about this risk."

Other areas of concern which have been raised are:

Accusations that Central Bedfordshire-based drivers have been granted licences to operate in Luton

That licensed Luton drivers are being forced out of the profession by drivers who don't pay money to the council

That more drivers who are coming in from elsewhere lack the local knowledge that the licensed drivers do

A spokesman for Luton Borough Council said: "The council is always happy to engage constructively with local businesses and is ready to offer assistance, advice and share information with representatives from the town's taxi trade.

"We are already putting plans in place to invite an independent legal adviser to speak on some of the issues raised by the drivers and hope to be able to continue a positive dialogue with them in the future."

Read more at http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/driv ... YYKhMCf.99

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

and the protests will fall on deaf ears councils don't give a brass monkeys about safety only about their coffers

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

Surely the Demo should be outside the offices of the DfT, or Downing Street.

Luton have no powers to ban outsiders from working in Luton.

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IDFIMH

Is that the local EDL group?

Now now Nidge.

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Grandad,

Is that a white guy, far right in the flat cap ???

Are you suggesting that white guys in Luton are on the far right?

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Grandad,

No he's lost a bit of his colour.

I'm glad someone got it!

he was walking his dog ffs

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

His guide dog?

how come the ones wearing Hi Viz are at the back not at the front pretending to be marshalls

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

Kingsway? Weren't they a nineties boy band?

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Former taxi driver

yeah one flop wonders

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