Members of the Exeter St David’s Taxi Association were angry at the city council’s decision
Taxi drivers were left upset and angry last night after Exeter City Council approved plans to remove restrictions on the number of hackney carriages.
Councillors voted to de-restrict the number of cabbies allowed to collect passengers from city taxi ranks and be hailed in the street.
At a special meeting of the licensing committee members also decided to enhance quality controls, including a distinctive colour scheme for city taxis.
Robert Norley, the council’s assistant director of environment, said: “What we are trying to do is to enhance the taxi fleet in Exeter. We want to see a viable and dynamic fleet. The quality controls have been crafted to achieve that.
“De-restriction would support those who genuinely want to offer a good service and are willing to invest vehicles to a high standard. I can only see that as a positive step forward.”
The proposals were given the go-ahead, despite opposition from Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw, Lord Mayor of Exeter Percy Prowse and dozens of existing taxi drivers.
The verdict was met with fury and consternation by drivers at the meeting who accused the council of “killing” their livelihoods.
Halil Shafi, 32, who has been a taxi driver for 4.5 years, handed over the keys to his vehicle at the end of the meeting.
He said: “I am really upset because I earned the money to buy a taxi from working in two chicken factories. This decision will kill our jobs and kill our livelihoods. I feel like I have lost my backbone.”
Exeter St David’s Taxi Association had promised to seek a judicial review if the committee ruled for an increase on the limit of 66 licensed hackneys.
The outcome was postponed at a meeting last month, because some committee members had not read a 591-page report on the matter.
The decision was made without the commission of a survey into unmet demand, which taxi drivers had offered to fund.
Councillor Gill Tippins said: “At the end of the day we’re trying to look at the public interest; we’re not really looking at the interests of the taxi drivers and whether or not they will survive and make a good living. That’s not our priority; our priority is the public interest.”
A report published by the Law Commission last year concluded there was a “lack of empirical evidence” of the benefits of de-restriction.
Read more: http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/
link to council report: link
