NOT IN FAVOUR: Taxi driver Peter Tyson
Angry taxi drivers are planning a city centre protest line as they battle for more official ranks.
Members of the Hackney Drivers’ Association Ltd, who work from Preston’s train station, have been told to line up outside the Preston Council headquarters, on August 2.
In a letter addressed to council chiefs, Charlie Oakes, chairman of the group, said: “Further to our earlier complaint about the actions of enforcement officer and the lack of ranking spaces supplied by Preston City Council for our members who work at Preston Station.
“I have been instructed by the members to inform the council that a peaceful assembly will take place at the Town Hall on the 2 August 2010, by the hackney drivers from Preston Station.
“Unless urgent talks takes place to resolve the issues which our members have suffered and continuing to suffer.
“It would be regrettable if such action would need to be taken but our members fell aggrieved by the actions of the licensing department.”
Pete Tyson, treasurer of the Preston Hackney Carriage Association, said: “The situation is very frustrating, we do not have enough places for cabs who want to wait, it has been ongoing now for several years really.
“That is partly because of parking restrictions and partly because of the amount of hours drivers are now working in order to make a living due to the recession.
“Drivers are working longer hours because of the recession and because of that there are more taxis which are not moving.”
But Mr Tyson said he would not be advising his members to take part in the action.
He added: “I am aware of it but we prefer to work with the council through negotiations because we need town hall on our side.
“I am not in favour of it, I am in favour of carrying on with exhausting the channels we are going down.”
A spokesman for Preston Council, said: “We are currently looking into the situation and will respond to them in due course.”
Two years ago cabbies protested after the number of spaces at Preston railway Station was reduced.
An estimated 100 drivers took to the streets for a go slow demonstration after the number of spaces was cut.
source: http://www.lep.co.uk/news/