City jammed as hackney cabbies and taxies take to streets in protest

May 29 2008 by Laura Sharpe, Liverpool Daily Post

Taxis (200)

TRAFFIC chaos hit Liverpool city centre yesterday during an impromptu taxi protest.

Hundreds of Hackney Carriage and private hire taxis licensed under Liverpool plates jammed Dale Street beeping their horns against private hire taxis from outside the borough allegedly stealing their business.

Traffic was brought to a standstill along Dale Street and Water Street, with problems compounded by the ongoing roadworks along the Strand.

Angry Hackney drivers accused Sefton-based Delta Private Hire Taxis of touting for business in the city centre outside of their own borough.

One dad-of-two said: “We wanted to show Delta that we’re not happy about what they’re doing.

“They sit in the city centre waiting for bookings, but they should wait in their own borough.

“We don’t mind them coming in to pick up or drop off but we’ve got to make a living too.

“We’ve asked the council to do something about it but nothing ever happens.”

But Delta Taxis, who account for 16% of the local market, have denied acting outside the law.

Company secretary Paul McGlaughlin said the tension between the drivers had come to a head in the wake of rising fuel prices and the credit crisis.

He said: “We have operated the same way as we have since we started 40 years ago but the difference now is that times have changed.

“People no longer hail a taxi on the street, they pick up their mobile phone and call so Hackney Carriages are at a disadvantage.

“If they install radios, they can operate street pick ups and telephone bookings, but they seem to think we have a moral duty to stay in our own area.

“They want us to drop off in Liverpool, then return home without a fare, which doesn’t make financial sense for us and won’t help the customers.

“I sympathise with the council, as they’re under pressure to change the law, but at the moment we operate within the law and we are not doing anything wrong.”

In response to accusations about picking up fares on the street, Mr McGlaughlin said any drivers found to collect non-booked fares faced prosecution. Malcolm Kelly, chair of Liverpool’s licensing committee, said representatives had met with the transport minister twice last year with the aim of trying to influence a change in legislation.

* TO SEE a video report from the protest, go to www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk