A new initiative launched by a regional tourist board to send foreign drivers back to the classroom has caused offence amongst cabbies and council chiefs.
Tourism South East (TSE) has pushed along plans to improve the language skills of Afghan and Somali taxi drivers on a seven-week English language course. Tourism bosses have also included lessons in smartening up the taxi drivers’ appearance and their knowledge of the city.
Moves to introduce this scheme come four months after Southampton City Council cleared claims that some taxi drivers could not speak English.
Council chiefs insist that they have maintained a strict vetting system. Last year the authority brought in skills testing alongside informal oral assessments – now a compulsory element of applying for a taxi licence.
TSE, in defence of the initiative, claims that educated taxi drivers will give a better impression of the city. However, the cost to fund the scheme is cause for dispute with taxpayers and drivers who don’t see the need for TSE’s plans.
Deputy council leader Royston Smith expressed his concerns about the scheme, saying: “I’m not happy about this at all.”
Council licensing officers have assessed all applicants to make sure that they pass guidelines before taking to the roads. TSE have yet to produce evidence of a non-English speaking cabbie.
Cllr Smith claims that TSE has breached the council’s trust. “If we have a problem we want it sorted. If drivers cannot speak English we need to know.”