Groups unite to demand city taxi fleet continues to offer mix of vehicles
Elderly and disabled groups have rallied together to back calls for Dundee to retain its mixed fleet of taxis.
Graeme Stephen chairing Monday's meeting.
- By Craig McManamon
- Published in the Courier : 27.09.11
- Published online : 27.09.11 @ 05.23pm
Representatives of the Dundee Pensioners Forum, Dundee Stroke Recovery Club and Dundee Access Group expressed their views at a seminar organised by the Dundee Taxi Association (DTA) and the taxi branch of the Unite Union on Monday.
They want the city council's licensing committee to scrap proposals for a 100% fleet of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) — an option which has split opinion among drivers.
The city council — which did not send any representatives from the transport department to attend the meeting — is carrying out a public consultation on the matter. But this process has already been heavily criticised by the DTA, which claims the views of many taxi users, including hundreds of taxi card holders, is being ignored and that the survey itself is "badly worded".
This concern was again raised during the meeting held in the Dee Club off Liff Road by Bill Blyth of the Dundee Stroke Recovery Club. He said that despite being on the authority's list of recipients the charity had not received the survey.
"We have not seen this survey and we should have done," he said. "Our view is that a mixed fleet must remain in order to offer something for everyone."
Dundee has a fleet of WAVs and saloon taxi vehicles. If councillors eventually decide to make it a requirement for all taxis to be WAVs then it would force around half of the current fleet off the road.
The DTA and Unite want to avoid this and argue the majority of users, especially the elderly and infirm, do not want it either.
Councillors on the licensing committee considered this option earlier this year but an angry backlash from cabbies resulted in them voting for a public consultation.
Chairman of the DTA Graeme Stephen highlighted at the meeting that local firm Tele Taxis handled 18,200 calls over a single week in September out of which 1,440 requested a saloon style car while just 406 asked for a WAV.
'Not listening'
"We feel the council is not listening to what people want," he said, adding: "Our organisation has told the council that by having only WAVs on the road is a form of discrimination.
"For all those people who cannot use these larger vehicles they are forced to use private hire but that means they can't just jump in a taxi if they get caught in the rain and that is a form of discrimination."
All elected members of Dundee's licensing committee chose to stay away from the open meeting, except the SNP councillor for Coldside Jimmy Black.
There was also support for a mixed taxi fleet from the MSP for Dundee City West Joe FitzPatrick, who said: "It's clear from what was said today that most individuals want a choice of vehicle and I would support that view."
Only one man voiced opposition to continuing a mixed fleet and argued that by having the larger cabs running in the city it would make them easily recognisable and pose few problems to users.
Taxi drivers have been at loggergheads over the controversial issue for some time but a plea for cooperation was voiced by the Dundee Hackney Association (DHA) chairman Erik Thoresen just hours before the meeting. He claimed infighting was holding up progress.
"What we want is equality within the taxi trade," he said. "This tier system should be abolished and I hope this consultation brings the issue to an end."
09.35pm - 27.09.2011 Jim Wallace - dundee, Scotland Report This
So its ok for the low numbered cabs to run around in bangers,but new drivers have to put a wheelchair access car costing in excess of £18000,sounds fair dont it? talk about a pecking order....
09.49am - 29.09.2011 garry - dundee, scotland Report This
re jim wallace iv been a taxi driver in dundee for many years i renew my car every 3 years and iv just spent £23,000 on a saloon cab,like many other drivers we look afster our cars and if you have a look around yes there are older cabs and also alot of scruffy looking old wavs.
09.48pm - 29.09.2011 john taylor saloon driver - dundee, scotland Report This
Whether a WAG costs more that a SALOON , no one forces people to become taxi owners, that's a choice you all get to make, so customers should have the choice as to what type of taxi they use/prefer,
09.42am - 05.01.2012 Chris elder - Dundee, Scotland Report This
The majority of taxi drivers in Dundee believe it should be a mixed fleet in Dundee the licensing committee came to the right decision on keeping the mixed fleet the public can use the taxi that suits their needs common sense prevailed capping the numbers is the next issue
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