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10
Jun 2022
'We just want to make a living': Harrogate cabbies hit out at new rules
A group of over 100 taxi drivers has said it feels unfairly targeted by Harrogate Borough Council after the authority agreed new licencing conditions that include suspending drivers who get seven penalty points for speeding.
The conditions also stipulate drivers must keep taxi plates on their vehicles even when they are not working and they must attend mandatory training courses.
The council has said the changes are “reasonable” and will improve safety for passengers but cabbies argue the policies are draconian and will put good drivers out of work.
Several drivers the Stray Ferret spoke to today on Harrogate's taxi rank on Station Parade said the new conditions were the last thing they needed after a tough couple of years due to covid and spiralling fuel costs.
Currently drivers face a suspension if they tot up 12 points for speeding.
'Totally out of order'
Dave Goodall, a taxi driver at Blueline, called the new conditions "upsetting" and "totally out of order".
He said drivers could easily rack up thousands of miles a month and were faced with an ever-increasing number of hidden mobile speed vans around the Harrogate district, as well as cameras in nearby cities such as Leeds, York and Bradford.
He said:
Mr Goodall said cabbies often had difficult customers who were drunk, high on drugs or had mental health issues, which could distract drivers and result in them inadvertently going over the speed limit.
He added:
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Musa Ebzao, a Hackney cab driver in Harrogate, said covid had already led to an exodus of drivers in the town. He fears the changes would put off new drivers from joining.
He said:
United front
A letter objecting to the new conditions has been signed by over 100 drivers and it will be delivered to Harrogate Borough Council's civic centre next week.
The drivers are putting on a united front, with signatures from drivers at all the large firms, such as Blueline, Mainline and Central as well as smaller companies and private hire drivers.
They said they have not ruled out legal action or protests, like those seen in Leeds over similar proposals, in the future.
Council's response
The proposal to suspend taxi drivers who receive penalty points has been put forward by the Department for Transport. However, it does not specify how many points a taxi driver can get before their licence is revoked.
In Harrogate, drivers will still be given the chance to argue their case and give reasons why their licence should not be revoked.
A council spokesperson said:
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