mytaxi
Cabbies sue over licence numbers
posted Tuesday, 12 December 2006
CABBIES in Burnley are set to sue the council over plans to deregulate the number of driver licences it hands out - a move which could plunge the taxi trade into chaos.
Burnley Council's executive - which meets tonight - is expected to do away the authority's current rules of limiting the number of black cab drivers its allows to operate in the borough.
The move has outraged drivers who claim there is not enough custom in the town to support the plans. Now they have employed a solicitor to take up their fight and are threatening to take the council to court if it does not back down.
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And Aubrey Isaacson, of Manchester-based Aubrey Isaacson Solicitors, has warned Burnley Council it would face having to pay out at least £130,000 if the moves goes ahead because it would have ignored expert advice. At present the council limits the number of licences to 34. Every three years it conducts a review to decide whether it needs more.
He also said because all of the borough's Hackney Carriage drivers were from ethnic minorities some could view the authority's actions as racist Despite a new survey in September showing there was no need for more permits, council bosses are set to press ahead with the plans because the Government has recommended limits should not be set and the 66 people who applied or said they were interested in applying for new licences could take the authority to court for the delay.
Mr Isaacson said: "There are too many taxis at present in Burnley with inadequate ranks. There is not one shred of evidence before the council to show there is a need for more taxis."
Coun Charles Bullas, executive member for licensing said: "When we make the decision on whether or not to remove the limit on the number of Hackney Carriage licences, the executive will place the safety of the travelling public and the quality of service at the forefront of our minds."
Burnley Council's executive - which meets tonight - is expected to do away the authority's current rules of limiting the number of black cab drivers its allows to operate in the borough.
The move has outraged drivers who claim there is not enough custom in the town to support the plans. Now they have employed a solicitor to take up their fight and are threatening to take the council to court if it does not back down.
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And Aubrey Isaacson, of Manchester-based Aubrey Isaacson Solicitors, has warned Burnley Council it would face having to pay out at least £130,000 if the moves goes ahead because it would have ignored expert advice. At present the council limits the number of licences to 34. Every three years it conducts a review to decide whether it needs more.
He also said because all of the borough's Hackney Carriage drivers were from ethnic minorities some could view the authority's actions as racist Despite a new survey in September showing there was no need for more permits, council bosses are set to press ahead with the plans because the Government has recommended limits should not be set and the 66 people who applied or said they were interested in applying for new licences could take the authority to court for the delay.
Mr Isaacson said: "There are too many taxis at present in Burnley with inadequate ranks. There is not one shred of evidence before the council to show there is a need for more taxis."
Coun Charles Bullas, executive member for licensing said: "When we make the decision on whether or not to remove the limit on the number of Hackney Carriage licences, the executive will place the safety of the travelling public and the quality of service at the forefront of our minds."
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