Taxi Driver Online

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Worcestershire taxi drivers struggling for custom during lockdown

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/18 ... -lockdown/


Image: Worcester News

TAXI drivers are finding a significant downturn in custom during lockdown, which could increase further if the tightening measure on “essential travel” is extended past December 2.

Lesley Borthwick, 57, former secretary of the Worcester Taxi Drivers Association and taxi driver at B and H Cars in Worcester, said: “I know many of our drivers who we sub contract to are finding it very difficult at the moment as hardly anyone is using taxis.

“We have contracts for disabled members of the community who need to get to places, and we have been getting the children of keyworkers to and from school.

“I know some of our drivers have had to deliver food instead for a source of income as work has dried up.

“If the lockdown continues past December 2 then it will be even more difficult for many who are already finding things difficult.

“All self-employed people are in the same boat in this pandemic and the Government should be doing more to help the self-employed.

“We do everything we need to do including using fogging machines in cars and anti-bacterial sprays and I want to say my drivers have gone above and beyond during this pandemic and I want to thank them for their hard work and dedication.”

Cameron Khan, who is a taxi driver for Malvern Taxis based in Bellevue Terrace, said he has experienced a drop in passenger numbers.

Mr Khan aged 41 said: “ It’s really quiet in the job at the moment and I’m still picking up passengers but probably at around 10 to 20 per cent of what I did before lockdown started.

“This is my only job and I’m worried for the future.”

Richard Udall, city cllr and chair of the city council’s taxi licensing committee, said: “Our local taxi trade has really had it tough. Most drivers are self-employed have been struggling; they have lost a lot of business. I hope when lockdown ends on 2nd December, they will gain much more business.”


Licensing chair Richard Udall (Image: Worcs County Council)

Makes a change from 'driver-partners', I suppose.

Or the more old-fashioned simple 'drivers'


Sorry to keep on banging on about this, and I know it's far from perfect, but you can't really state this or report this without mentioning the SEISS scheme

(I'm assuming she's the office proprietor, or some sort of co-owner, but she may just be the office manager, or similar.)

I agree.

The SEISS scheme isn't perfect, and it doesn't take into account our running costs, but it's better than I thought we would get.

In fact a lot better as I expected sweet f*** all.

_________________
IDFIMH

This from Harrogate also totally fails to mention the SEISS.


Harrogate taxi drivers claim the trade's been 'forgotten' during pandemic

https://planetradio.co.uk/greatest-hits ... -pandemic/

Many claim coronavirus has had a “devastating” impact on businesses

Struggling taxi drivers in Harrogate have claimed the trade has been “forgotten” during the Covid-19 pandemic as many cabbies call time on their driving careers because of dwindling passenger demand.

Richard Fieldman, who runs A1 Cars Ripon, has worked in the taxi trade for almost three decades and said the virus outbreak has had a “devastating” impact on businesses with his earnings slashed by more than three quarters.

He said he has managed to stay on the road thanks to payment holidays but believes national and local government officials should be providing more support to keep taxi firms ticking over.

Mr Fieldman said unlike some councils, Harrogate has not given drivers cash grants for virus safety measures including screens, and that the authority should have introduced new fare increases earlier this year.

He added:

“It is disappointing that the trade has been forgotten, with not enough thought, care and consideration given to drivers.

“Taxi drivers are often seen as the lowest of the low but when it comes to making sure loved ones get home safely at night, we are the ones who people rely on the most.

“This year has been devastating for us – so much so that a lot of drivers in Harrogate have handed their cars back and packed in for good.”

Kevin O’Boyle, who has worked in the trade since 1965 and runs Central Taxis in Harrogate, said he carried out a straw poll of drivers which found they can earn as little as £4.30 an hour, based on an average 60-hour week of taxi rank takings.

“This is nowhere near enough,” Mr O’Boyle said. “There are a few drivers who have had to resort to universal credit – it’s not good.

“This year has been catastrophic and it’s going to take an awful lot of bouncing back. But it’s not just the taxi trade, it’s hit everybody and it will be a long time before we all recover.”

Harrogate Borough Council – which is facing a £9m shortfall as a result of the pandemic – said it has limited funds available and that support has been provided to businesses including taxi firms.

A council spokesman said:

“For those drivers who chose not to operate, and subsequently cancelled their business insurance, we temporarily suspended their licence. Once insured, we are more than happy to reinstate their licence.

“We have also allocated around £20,000 to the ring-fenced private hire vehicle and operator’s licence account. This meant that we will not raise licence fees at all next year.”

The council has also this week approved a taxi fare increase for the first time in two years – with starting charges rising from £3.30 to £3.40 during the day and from £4.95 to £5.10 at night, as well as 3% increase on the running mile.

The fare increase will come into force on December 1 and make Harrogate the 17th most expensive place in the UK to get a taxi.