Taxi drivers in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, are fighting council plans to ban taxis more than eight years old.
First step? Already nearly 90 cabbies have signed a petition against the proposal. 16 taxi drivers have also written letters of objection to the council.
Taxi Age Limit
Currently, saloon cars can remain licensed as hackney taxis providing they pass an annual MOT. Those licensed as private hire cars have to be ‘retired’ after eight years.
Now Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council claims that applying the same rule to all saloon cabs in the area will improve safety and reliability.
Labour Councillor, Mark Olszewski, commented: “We want to provide a clean, green and safe transport system and particularly to make all hackney carriages accessible to all in the borough.”
However, many in the trade fear that the council’s move will put them out of business.
Job Losses
Chairman of the Newcastle and Kidsgrove Taxi Association, Tariq Mahmood, said: “At the moment it’s a struggle for many of us to keep afloat and if this policy is passed, we’ll be out of business.”
“There are buses still operating which are older than 20 years and we don’t put an age limit on those. Just because a car is old doesn’t mean it’s unsafe.”
Tracey Nickalin, manager of City Cabs, echoes Mr Mahmood’s sentiments. She said: “It’s so difficult now to make a living as a taxi driver and when you have to keep replacing your car, it’s very expensive.
“As long as the car is clean, tidy and MOT tested, I really fail to see what they want to achieve from this.”
Political Support
Tory Councillor, Mark Holland, is calling for clarification of the issue. He said: “The borough council needs to make clear why it is recommending this rule change for taxis to its public protection committee.
“If this is a genuine attempt to improve passenger safety, they should discuss the issue more openly with the trade, to find a solution that doesn’t put Newcastle jobs at risk.”
Members of the council’s public protection committee are due to make a decision on the proposed hackney age limit at the beginning of March.