Taxi Driver Online

North Devon Journal

November 30, 2006 Thursday

HEADLINE: Fury as airport taxi firm goes out of business

BYLINE: Adam Wilshaw

Furious holiday-makers claim a Barnstaple airport taxi firm has left them in the lurch and out-of-pocket on the eve of their trips. Three lease vehicles used by South West Airport Shuttle Limited, based in Brayford, are believed to have been repossessed last week.

A woman who worked for the business told The Journal 20 bookings worth at least £4,000 had been cancelled as a result. Families were reportedly left stranded at airports when SWAS taxis did not arrive.

Customers Iris and James Eppy said they had used SWAS before and never encountered problems. They recently paid the company £260 to be picked up from Tiverton and dropped at Heathrow airport on December 13 and then brought home on January 26.

Mr Eppy said that when received a booking form for his transport he found it demanded the balance was paid immediately, in full, and to a named driver. He said he phoned the business and was told that because the owners were going on holiday for six weeks, the cheque should be made payable to a named individual, a driver, for use as working capital.

Mr Eppy said: "I sent my cheque off asking for a receipt, which I did not get. "Last Wednesday we had a phone-call from a man, who did not leave a name, saying the company had ceased trading and it would be advantageous to us to source alternative transport. "He said the vehicles had been repossessed.

"I spoke to a woman who would not give me her name and she said she was dealing with administration and some of the drivers had come in to help ring other people who had booked."

Mr Eppy said: "Having lost our money we are concerned there are others who don't know it's gone bust. We had used this company before to do exactly the same journey 18 months ago."

A Northam man, who did not wish to be named, said he and his wife had paid SWAS £150 for transport from their home to Bristol airport on December 5. He said: "I've been with them for years. On November 4 I sent a cheque and it was cashed on November 11." He said they also received a call.

"The man said we needed to make new arrangements because they had no vehicles and he was out of a job. Then a lady rang back to confirm they had gone bust." One local man who used to drive for SWAS said he had picked up one family who had been left without transport at Bristol airport and was due to take another from Ilfracombe to the same destination. The luckless customers therefore had to pay twice for their transport.

John Smith, from Dolphin Motors in Barnstaple, said he had also been picking up fares effectively abandoned by SWAS. The Journal was unable to contact SWAS. A message on the company's answerphone said the shuttle service had closed and the directors would be back on December 15.
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When people go for the cheapest, then this is what happens.

But customers know best.

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IDFIMH

Were they operating on a section 75 exemption?

CC

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

Well it just goes to show, when you think taxing isn't a business.

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Not sure about the contract exemption, but I wish those punters lost a bit more TBH.

Nothing miffs me more than punters you pick up, day in day out, using another firm for airport work.

I know free market and all that, but if I'm used for the s***, I want a bit of the cream if you don't mind.

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IDFIMH

From preliminary investigations it would appear this outfit which has been in existance since 2001 might well have been using section 75.1.b.

Regards

JD

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Legal and proud

Loads a love from BERTIE !!

Life's hard, then you die.

Still Sussex, as JD said to me recently, nobody is twisting your arm to be a taxi driver, (or PH)are they?

You can have the airport runs, by the way, especially the pickups.

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Former taxi driver

I agree, poke the pick ups.

Unless of course they've already paid.

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IDFIMH

It depends on whether you consider a trip to an airport 'cream' or not.

TBH if its an evening, and its non-stop up town, the last thing I really need is a trip out to Heathrow, I can earn the same money for less time and diesel by staying where I am.

I notice theres a Minicab office in Queenstown Road, Battersea advertising London Airport at £25!
By the time you deduct your fuel and 'rent' that must leave them with about £10 for over an hours work.
Cream? . . . . or custard ?

It is for the right price.

I suppose I take the view that it's nice to have a run every now and again, even if it is to London.

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IDFIMH

And when they've already paid, and their flight is an hour late, or two, or four, or eight, or more, do they pay you for the trouble? Or do they protest, not my fault, tough on you?

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Former taxi driver

I see your now showing some allegence with Sussex by way of your number of posts.

Exactamundo, GBC.

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Former taxi driver

If I take them up, and decide to pick them up, they get my mobile number.

As soon as they are off the plane they ring me, and by the time I'm at either Heathrow or Gatwick they are outside waiting, and as pleased as punch to see me.

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IDFIMH