Saw this the other day, but didn't bother posting it - something a bit too vague about it all, with only headline figures quoted.
But it's been picked up by the Mirror (also part of the same Reach plc group as the Birmingham Mail) and also the Express. Think latter probably trying to make a point about the CAZ stuff in particular.
But somehow doubt that the CAZ charges are the main point here as regards low earnings. And, as regards the pandemic, how does all this square with all the other stuff about the shortage of drivers?
City taxi driver 'works 90 hour weeks for just £100' as he is battered by Clean Air Zonehttps://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/m ... 0-21129720Mizanur Khan, 42, said he faced financial ruin despite working through the pandemicA city taxi driver says he is facing financial ruin as he earns just £100 a week despite working up to 90 hours.
Mizanur Khan, 42, told BirminghamLive he was forced to rely on his children as he can no longer count on a stable income from his demanding job.
He said a combination of the coronavirus pandemic and the Clean Air Zone had made the situation dire.
Khan works for a local taxi firm in Kings Heath but uses his own vehicle. A large part of his trade was in and around Birmingham city centre but his polluting vehicle has left him with hefty charges.
After fuel, insurance and Clean Air Zone charges, he is struggling to pay his mortgage. He asked not to be pictured but wanted to share his story to highlight the plight of those currently working in the trade.
He joins a growing chorus of cabbies urging Birmingham City Council to make taxi drivers exempt from the charge.
"Because of Covid there is no business," he said.
"I work seven days a week and I work 12 to 14 hours every day. After taking out my costs I'm not left with anything."
Mizanur lives in Acocks Green with his wife and three grown-up kids who are 18, 21 and 22. He has had to depend on family members for support.
"To be honest, if my son wasn't working I probably would have lost my house," he said. "There were months where I never even had any wages and my son helped me and paid my bills and paid my mortgage."
He claimed he was even struggling to get through to the Council to pay his charges, which be alleged were being levied incorrectly.
"I've been charged twice for the same day. The system is not right," he went on.
"They gave me a number and every time you phone that it says we're busy and it gets disconnected.
"For two hours I tried to phone them. I'm struggling hard. I work seven days a week."
The Clean Air Zone website says that a non-compliant vehicle driving in the zone will only pay once for the day.
"Since the Clean Air Zone has come in, I've tried to avoid New Street and Broad Street," Mizanur explained. "But then you've got it by Highgate and Central Mosque and some of these signs are not clear enough."
The Council said more than 1,000 drivers had taken advantage of a grant it was offering but Mizanur said it wasn't enough and he didn't earn enough to make up the shortfall.
This is despite the fact he claims to have worked throughout the pandemic and not accepted any help.
He went on: "I stayed out and continuously worked. I took it on the chin. The whole world is suffering so I just put in extra hours than I was used to doing. But I'm struggling bad at the moment."
He said the Council needed to step up.
"We're carrying the public," he added. "Our job is to get our passengers to their destination safely. We should be exempt from the Clean Air Zone."
A spokeswoman for Birmingham City Council said: "The Clean Air Zone will help improve Birmingham’s air quality and the Council recognises that some groups will require more support to make the transition to a clean air city.
"A comprehensive package of temporary and permanent exemptions and £35 million of financial incentives to help individuals and businesses get ready.
"Birmingham City Council licensed taxi drivers can apply for grants of up to £5,000 to help them to upgrade or replace vehicles. And to date over 1,000 drivers have taken advantage of these schemes."
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