Following many years of campaigning by taxi drivers’ groups, Dundee City Council is considering the introduction of a cap on the number of cab licenses available in the city. The proposal is one of four policy options currently being looked at by the local authority.
Taxi Sales Pressure
The Dundee Taxi Association (DTA) has been campaigning for regulation for many years, arguing that increasing taxi sales have resulted in too many cabs competing for business. They say that, with the city’s population shrinking, the problem is becoming worse.
Tony Waters, secretary of Dundee Taxi Association, commented recently: “It’s unbelievable that Dundee has got an open policy and is still handing out new taxi licences. It just doesn’t make sense. The pie is only so big and the Dundee population is dwindling.”
Pressure increased on the licensing committee to implement such a change when nearby Perth and Kinross licensing committee voted in favour of retaining their taxi license cap, which has been in place since 1979.
Mixed Views
In a surprise announcement, ahead of formal discussions on the plans, two members of the licensing committee stated that they supported the idea of a cap “in principle”. SNP Councillors Craig Melville and Stewart Hunter both gave the plan their backing, with Mr Melville stating: “I think the first commitment the committee should have is to protect licence holders in the city.
“I’ve written to Rod Wallace (chair of the licensing committee) requesting a meeting with the taxi liaison group which I believe last sat in May 2010. We should have more regular meetings in the future to help address such issues.”
Great News
Tony Waters said that the support expressed by the two committee members was “great news”.
He added: “We know the board can introduce a cap on taxis legally. Other cities have already done so. The perfect example is Perth and Kinross. This really is a welcome development.”
Taxi sales company Cab Direct also welcomed the taxi limit proposal.
Sales Director Peter Facenna commented: “Of course we stand to benefit from increased taxi sales but the more important thing for all of us is the overall health of the taxi trade.