Taxi Driver Online

Trafford complain about increase in numbers.
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UK Newsquest Regional Press - This is Cheshire

August 31, 2006 Thursday

HEADLINE: Increase is driving us out of business

SALE and Altrincham black cab drivers claim their livelihoods are under threat following the decision by Trafford council to increase the number of hackney carriage licences.

The number of licences in Trafford was frozen at 103. But following a borough-wide survey, the council increased this to 133 with an extra five scheduled for October and the potential for 10 more per year thereafter.

And while critics of this move accept the need for a slight change in numbers they argue an increase on this scale could eventually put them out of business.

Robert Pearce, a black cab driver in Sale for 11 years, said: "If they are going to keep issuing plates we are going to lose our jobs. It's causing a massive stink. "We've got new cars taking all the work we had. It's affecting us now and it's going to get worse.

"The council don't give a monkeys about us. We are just lads with families trying to earn a living." Fellow cab driver Mickey Driscoll from Partington, said: "We would have been happy with them to add a few more but it has to be looked at properly. All the new cabs are going to end up in Sale and Altrincham.

"We don't know when they're going to cap the numbers but eventually they'll have to. They're flooding it and no one is doing anything about it." Mickey and Robert also claim the decision to start issuing licence plates could have been influenced by a court case in October, when Trafford council's refusal to issue five plates was successfully challenged.

They assert this has led to the increased number in requests from cab drivers for new plates. Brian Rigby, chairman of licensing and public protection committees said: "The Government has advised all councils that there should only be restrictions on hackney carriage numbers where there is shown to be a clear benefit for the consumer."

He added that an independent survey, which showed a significant level of unmet demand in Trafford, was considered by the licensing committee in April - with all interested parties fully consulted - and the numbers subsequently increased. He said: "Throughout the whole process the council believes it has acted in a fair, reasonable and transparent manner with due regard for the interests of all parties concerned." [/b]

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A Trafford black cab tried to pick up a fare right in front me last night, I pulled along side and shouted "Taxi Driver online" I've never seen a pirate move so fast in my life. Just goes to show the power of TDO lol.

Regards

JD

I wonder about all those cabs from manchester picking up in trafford after every home game too

CC

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

I know what you mean. It says a lot for Trafford's enforcement. Good job I don't know where Old Trafford is.

Regards

JD