A controversial plan to turn all Tendring taxis green and white could be abandoned or watered down after furious opposition from local taxi drivers.
Licensing officials at Tendring District Council (TDC) want all taxis for sale to have a standard design in a bid to boost tourism and encourage vulnerable people to get out more.
However, due to the economic climate, the majority of cabbies have opposed the idea based on cost.
The council’s licensing committee will now meet this Friday to decide to go ahead with the expensive idea or to have a re-think.
If the committee does proceed with the proposal, the taxi drivers have the right to ask for a judicial review, which could lead to significant costs to the council. A report for members for the licensing committee said a judicial review would delay the plans by up to two years and the council could face costs of tens of thousands of pounds in legal fees.
Silly Idea
John Hones, chairman of Tendring District Taxi Association, said cabbies had suggested an alternative silver colour scheme which would overcome their objections.
He explained: “We don’t want them to look like Noddy cars. Some of the 300 taxis in Tendring are owned by firms, but most are owned by individual drivers.
“Driving around in a green and white vehicle would just look plain silly.”
The National Private Hire Association has already lodged an appeal against the initial decision to ask newly-registered taxis to carry the green and white design.
The trade body, acting on behalf of a Tendring taxi operator, had an initial hearing at North East Essex Magistrates Court on August 24. It was adjourned until late October.
Economic Worries
Stephanie Conroy, writing to TDC on behalf of Tendring’s taxi drivers, said: “We have a petition from Tendring taxi drivers, the vast majority being opposed to this decision.
“We believe the decision made is wrong to insist we have a white car with corporate green flashings and Tendring logo as it will be costly to drivers and make earning a living more difficult than it is at present.
“There are currently over 300 hackney-plated vehicles with just 55 rank spaces available for these vehicles to ply for trade. So as you can probably imagine making a living in this trade is hard enough in the current economic climate and with fuel prices being so high, drivers don’t need this extra cost.”
Tendring District Council has so far not commented on this matter.