Talk about padding things out
Quite a bit of detail regarding an issue that could have been explained in a couple of paragraphs, and without, for example, a statement from the county council.
And here was me thinking it was only nights that drivers wouldn't work post-lockdown. According to the office here, it's mornings as well
Lincoln woman slams 'diabolical' lack of taxis available in the city
https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news ... ck-8125712
"I was shocked and taken aback that you can't get one single taxi in a city of this size"
Image: Lincolnshire Live/James Turner
A woman says she was "shocked and taken aback" at the lack of morning taxis available in the city after she was forced to walk to the train station. Lois Freestone, 61, attempted to book a taxi in Lincoln for 7.20am on a Monday, but claims she was told by multiple taxi firms that there were no cars available due to school runs.
As a live-in nurse, Lois often needs to set off early to go on work placements and usually books a taxi from her home in Uphill Lincoln to the train station. After her recent struggles to secure a ride in the morning, she feels it is "astounding" that no taxis are available in a "city of this size".
Lincolnshire County Council has confirmed that it provides a taxi service for "all the children who need one" and will "continue to fulfil the obligations" that it faces in terms of getting the children to and from school safely. The council also stressed that the taxis are usually for children with "very specialist needs".
Lois said: "I rang up on Sunday evening at 7pm to book a taxi to take me to the railway station on Monday morning. I tried my usual company, Direct Cars, who couldn't provide a taxi at all until 9.30am and then another company who also couldn't do one until 9.30am.
"I tried numerous other taxi firms to no avail so I ended up having to walk down to the station from my house as there were no buses running that early. I think it's ridiculous really.
"I've encountered this issue before, but never to a degree when I couldn't get a taxi at all before half past seven. I was shocked and taken aback that you can't get one single taxi in a city of this size."
Lois says the lack of taxis in the city is "diabolical" and claims that the school runs are taking precedence over the general public. She added: "It seems that they're all doing school runs now and there isn't any taxis available for the general public, which I think is too bad.
"I understand it's a lucrative business doing school runs but they shouldn't forget the public, we're just as important. If you're someone living outside the city centre who relies on taxis, there's no way you could have gotten in at that time. It needs to be highlighted and people need to be aware of it."
A spokesperson for Lincolnshire County Council said: "LCC does book a certain number of taxis to help with school transport provision, usually for children with very specialist needs. As the provider of transport for these children it is our role to ensure that they can get to and from school safely and with the correct levels of care necessary.
"In order for this to happen, the taxi booking system ensures that these needs are met for what are some of the most vulnerable members of our county. We provide a taxi service for all the children who need one and shall continue to fulfil the obligations we face in this matter."
A spokesperson for Direct Cars in Lincoln said: "This isn't a specific problem to mornings only, we have large periods all week, both days and nights, that we are short of vehicles. With us being private hire, all work has to be pre-booked through the office, as per our operators licence.
"Since the start of COVID we haven't been able to get back up to full capacity consistently, all drivers are self-employed, so are free to work as and when they choose, not when the company demands. We have noticed that the drivers that we do have, have a different work pattern to what they did pre-covid.
"This is a consistent problem with private hire companies the country over, every day is different, and you never know how many people are going to want to use your service at any given time. It is not a case of school runs taking priority over general public, but the school work is booked in at the start of term daily, so has to be covered first along with all other pre-booked work. So if 10 drivers less log on to work in the morning, that means we can take less off the phone.
"Also during that busy period the roads are so much busier meaning a job that at 11.00am would take 20 minutes to complete, would take 45 - 60 minutes at peak time, therefore meaning we as an operator, can't take as much work during that time period, as the vehicles can't get around the city. We pre-book a minimum amount in prior to the day, so as not to overbook the vehicles that are out and not let customers down. If more vehicles turn out than expected then that enables us to be able to take more over the phone.
"We as a company have been appealing for new drivers since the pandemic, we are offering to pay for the costs of badges to recruit new drivers to increase the availability. If anyone is interested in working with us, then do not hesitate to contact Ragan on 01522 535400."