Taxi drivers in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead have been left worried after the council revealed their plans to introduce a new rule to the Hackney Taxi Penalty Points System.
It was decided at a recent Licensing Panel meeting that the committee would look into adding “idling outside taxi ranks” to the list of breaches. The announcement shocked taxi drivers in the borough who have been pleading with the council to provide extra rank space for a very long time.
Chairman of the Windsor and Maidenhead Taxi Driver’s Association, Mohammed Yasin, said: “It’s totally unjustifiable. We have said there are not enough spaces and too many taxis and now this.
“If you have a full tank of fuel and drive around on an eight-hour shift, you will not make a living. People don’t flag down taxis so you need more ranks.”
De-regulation
The taxi trade in The Royal Borough was deregulated in April 2012, much to the dismay of the cabbies at that time. Since the deregulation took place, 71 hackney taxi licenses have been issued, bringing the total to 160, and no new ranks have been created.
Cabbies have been fighting since then for the council to allow more rank space to accommodate the growing number of taxis on the road and the proposal to introduce this new penalty has sparked fury within the trade.
Taxi driver of 18 years, Mohammad Yasin, said: “When they decided to issue five more licences each month, they said it wouldn’t be a problem. Now we’re always struggling to find a space around Windsor.
“We can’t get work. It’s making life very difficult. It backs up traffic too, especially around the Castle.”
Councillor David Hilton supports the cabbies. He has said that, before applying the penalty, the council would need to create more rank space that would satisfactorily hold the number of taxis.