Frustrated public hire taxi drivers are set to continue their demonstrations in the city-centre following their mass rally to Stormont last Thursday (November 18) — protesting on a range of issues they claim are “seriously damaging their daily trade”.
Yesterday, (Tuesday, November 23), Sean Beckett, chairperson of The Public Hire Coalition, (the official group that speaks on behalf of public hire taxi drivers), told the Community Telegraph: “Things are going from bad to worse for those of us working in the public hire taxi trade.
“Private hire taxi companies continue to pick people illegally off the street and the laws dealing with issues are not being enforced effectively — even though we have presented evidence to the correct authorities to deal with this, we have been told by official enforcers the only way to prosecute is if they act covertly as members of the public and are picked up in this way — video evidence is not enough.
“We have serious concerns about the number of rank spaces in Belfast too — there are only 87 rank spaces in the city, that is not enough for 600 taxis. And we have to remember that not all of these spaces are workable, many drivers sit for ages before they pick up a fare. It’s difficult when you get private hire companies handing out pre-booking business cards — people don’t even have to phone up to book a private taxi now, it’s getting out of hand and we are losing a considerable amount of business as a result.
“We have had four taxi drivers fined this week alone for waiting outside Central station in the bus lane but there is nowhere else for them to go.
“Every other major city, London, Edinburgh, supports their public hire taxi trade, but we feel ignored here.”
Belfast Lad Commented:
I have been Taxiing over the years both Privately and Public Hire and to be honest each side has their own story. Public Hire are renown for ripping people off, charging £5.00 and £10.00 per head for short journeys, it's not a lie I have witnessed it myself. Those people who do not use their meter properly in Belfast have shafted all of the decent drivers out of a living. In regards to the DVA Taxi Licencing and Enforcement office, they are a useless bunch of individuals who are nothing more than blood sucking leaches on the tax payer. They do not do what they are supposed to do. You very rarely see them out catching unlicensed taxi drivers, I see it every night of the week, people with no plates, hence No Insurance. Private Hire picking up outside bars and cluns in Belfast, which they are not licensed to do, therefore " NOT Insured" What are the Taxi Enforcement Crew doing about it? ( NOTHING ), What do the Police do about it? ( NOTHING ) The Police also condone this illegal activity in Belfast by asking Private hire drivers to take people home as well as not challenging the Drivers who are clearly standing and plying for hire outside the pubs and clubs in Belfast. To be honest DVA - Taxi Licensing and the Police are a joke. One more thing to add, DVTA charge £138.50 for a PSV Licence for a car each year and we were told that the majority of this money goes to the Police for security checks on the vehicle. Only a few days back I found out from the horse mouth that this is Bull.. The DVA get all of this money and for What? Its a take -on and all of the Taxi drivers in Northern Ireland Private, Public should get together and shake this stupid system, it does not work and Mr. Spratt should be fired.
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