Taxi Driver Online

December 5, 2007 Wednesday

Cabbies complain over registrations

Wirral Globe

TAXI drivers in Wirral are facing a bleak Christmas as stricter licensing rules are enforced.

"Unannounced" changes to the grace period given to private hire staff when renewing their badges, have left some out of work and unpaid for up to six weeks.

Father-of-four John Griffiths who works for Wirral Satellite Taxis, said he is "worried sick" about how he will manage over the festive season.

He said he has been plunged into a spiralling debt problem after taking out loans just so that he can pay the bills.

Mr Griffiths, who has worked as a taxi driver for two years, said that he took a week off to service and MoT his car but did not realise that his driver's badge was two days' overdue.

But staff at Wirral Council's licensing department refused to process the renewal and told him that he would have to resit a BTeC exam and wait up to six weeks for a fresh Criminal Records Bureau check before he can go back on the road.

Mr Griffiths said: "My existing CRB is only two years old. They are only supposed to be refreshed every three years - this is just a joke.

"Up to now I have lost more than £2,000 in wages - I've even had to shell out £80 for a new medical test, I'm having to dish out money hand over fist and I don't even know how long it will be before I am earning again."

He added: "I really don't know how I am going to manage over Christmas - I still have to carry on paying for the upkeep and insurance of my car even though I haven't been able to use it for weeks.

"This is the thanks you get for earning a living at no cost to the tax payer."

Council officials have been discussing changes to the wording on renewal forms to inform applicants that no grace period will be given.

But Wirral Satellite Taxis general manager Dave Ridgeway said that the licensing department is "inconsistent" and gives "leeway" to some drivers but not to others.

He said: "Another of our drivers was a day late renewing his badge but had no problems at all.

"It just depends what mood the council are in on the day.

"We have a taxi business in Liverpool and we never get these kinds of problems. But here in Wirral I have four drivers that can't work because suddenly there is no grace period for badge renewals."

Chris Jordan, the company's managing director, said the council has used "draconian measures as an overkill punishment to make things difficult for drivers."

"They are doing the public a disservice taking drivers off the road for no good reason, especially at this busy time of year," he said.

A council spokesman said: "Wirral Council is currently looking into the individual circumstances surrounding Mr Griffiths' case."
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This was commented on in Taxi'talk'.

But the truth of the matter is that if your license runs out, then you are unlicensed.

And if you are unlicensed then to get licensed you have to go through the same process as everyone else.

I agree it's a bit harsh, but drivers only have themselves to blame if they can't be bothered to re-license in time.

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IDFIMH