Taxi drivers and police row over casino parking
A row has broken out between Dundee taxi drivers and the police over the collection of fares outside the new G Casino — with some drivers threatening to boycott the entire city centre at kicking out time.
- By Katie Smyth
- Published in the Courier : 26.07.10
- Published online : 26.07.10 @ 10.13am
Graeme Stephen, chairman of the Dundee Taxi Association, hit out at the road policing team's policy of moving drivers on from picking up punters outside the casino, on West Marketgait.
Mr Stephen complained that officers are telling drivers not to park in the clearway outside the casino but move to the other side of West Marketgait where taxis traditionally pick up the hordes of party-goers leaving Fat Sams and Liquid nightclubs.
However, Mr Stephen pointed out that that side of the carriageway is also a clearway and criticised the police for not operating a consistent policy.
He said, "We're getting told you can't sit outside the casino because it's a clearway but my opinion is the police are there to uphold the law, not make it. If they are going to say stop it on one side, they should stop it on the other side for Fat Sams.
"There's some weeks go by and nobody tries to move you but every third week or so they tell us you can't sit here.
"Taxis sit on double yellow lines at Deja vu and the DCA. If they are going to move us on from one place, they should move us on from other places. They keep changing their mind and they are not consistent."
Mr Stephen said moving taxis to the other side of the road is extending the queue right down West Marketgait as far as the petrol station, while encouraging people leaving the casino, often intoxicated, to cross the dual carriageway.
"Surely the situation of people crossing the road with a drink in them is far less safe than us sitting outside the casino at a time of night when taxis are about the only traffic about," he said.
Many drivers have become so frustrated with the situation they are now threatening to boycott the city centre in the early hours of the morning.
Mr Stephen said, "A lot of taxi boys are talking about not coming into the centre of the town for a few hours and letting the people walk to them at the bottom of Lochee Road, the bottom of the Hilltown and the bottom of Perth Road, which is going to make trouble for the police."
Inspector Alan Szwec acknowledged how much more difficult the city centre management team's job would be were taxis to stop picking up punters in the town centre.
11.02am - 26.07.2010 Sensible parker - Dundee, Scotland Report This
As usual Taxi drivers thinking they can do what they want and use the same old argument of 'earning a living.' <br /> I picked up my daughter from the town centre on Friday night. I came down the Hawkhill and into West Marketgait and nearly crashed into the back of the que of taxis outside the Casino.
02.10pm - 26.07.2010 SNaP Dragon - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Taxi drivers are completely inconsiderate road users and overcharge for a service which usually involves taking intentionally inefficient routes. <br /> They'll never make good on their threats to stop serving city centre at night as they love money too much. Public service, yeah right.
03.35am - 27.07.2010 Stuart W - Dundee, Scotland Report This
I'm surprised Mr S draws attention to other example of illegal parking to make his case. <br /> I've passed this area quite a few times, and the lack of visibility, drunks who can appear from anywhere and the usual boy racers careering around make this an obvious hazard, and not comparable to Fatties.
03.40am - 27.07.2010 Stuart W - Dundee, Scotland Report This
And Mr S's comment about insurance and private land is surely a red herring. What about taxis picking up at the likes of Tescos or a retail park? <br /> But I like the 'related content' headline 'Taxi firms volunteer Dundee cab cap', which is a bit 'Turkeys volunteer to postpone Xmas'. GSOH evident.
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