Leader of Newcastle City Council, Councillor John Shipley, OBE has agreed to meet with a delegation of eight drivers,representing all parts of the Hackney trade in Newcastle upon Tyne. The drivers are from the U.I.T.A,the N.H.D.A., Asian drivers and multiple owners are also represented.
They are set to meet with Councillor John Shipley on Monday 9th march at 1pm to discuss the following points:
This is a much better way of trying to resolve problems in Newcastle City than any kind of street protest which would only serve to cause problems for the General Public. Let’s hope that Councillor Shipley recognises the fact that This delegation,a cross representation of the whole of the City’s Hackney Carriage trade, is willing to talk in a Democratic way rather than using any other form of militant action. Let’s also hope that he can see the ridiculous situation that exists in Newcastle Re: Numbers of Taxis,Parking control and Lack of useable Rank spaces…….
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
In reply to the above comment concerning the delegation talking with Councillor Shipley,I agree that talking about these matters is far better than protest action,BUT will he listen and more importanatly act on what he is told.
The situation in Newcastle can`t go on as it is,something has to give,and will give shortly.
Councillor Shipley must sit down and come to a decision quickly,if trouble is to be avoided.
I am NOT in favour of protests,blocking streets or other direct action in similar vein,BUT this situation is not just about taxi drivers finding things tough going,and believe you me as a driver for 20+ years,things have never been as bad. This time its more about your safety,that is YOU the travelling public,uninsured cars,drivers who dont know where their own arse is never mind St James Pk.
If Mr Shipley and co dont get their fingers out and do some meaningfull enforcement,as they are empowered and required to do by Law,some innocent member of the public will end up getting hurt…possibly worse.
As was printed in the press not so long ago,these councils have licensed any Tom,Dick and Harry to work as drivers,what happened to CRB checking…!!!
I`m only thankfull that the Kray brothers are dead…some idiot would have badged them too no doubt.
Leaving parking aside,some drivers deserve tickets for the way they drive,park or treat people,I dont dispute that,but the council have and are creating problems because they dont listen to people,its not just taxis,its any bsiness in the city that requires transport that this will hit,unless we can sort the mess out.
So Mr Shipley,we know you read this,along with Messers Savage,Smith and team. Listen and act on what we tell you is going on,we dont want all your spin and PC retoric,We want action!
Think about this Mr Shipley,the next time one or all of your family are in town,can they tell a `pirate` cab from a real one, an insured taxi from an uninsured one,I mean before its too late and they are crippled for life with no compensation,because some idiot with an out of area plate ran a red light to get another job quicker…..THINK ABOUT IT COUNCILLOR SHIPLEY.
john,
i’ve been reliably informed that the situation is so bad now that the ‘boy racers’ who park in the bigg market are now charging and taking people home!
mr. shanks says that the hack trade of old would not have let this go on! well times have changed, and if we get out our car we are seen by the council as the agressor and lose out badge!
@Andy Warhol,
best thing to do is give them the fucking badges back and be a boy racer.
lets hope he takes on board what the delegation have to say, and unlike when we met mr. o’Brien and the police officer (forget his name) and the trade is not made empty promises.
@ Andy Warhol Yep i can also confirm from a reliable source that some of the boy racers are offering lifts home for a fee , a mate of mine (not a taxi driver) heard one of the little mugs offering to take 3 lass’s to wallsend for a tenner !
Wonder if he would take four steroid enhanced charvers to cowgate or scotchy i think not !!!
Why do the police not move them on or ban all non taxi’s PH’s from the city centre especially as hacks have no were to go and PH cant get parked were the punter wants picked up because of these little tossers perving and accosting lass’s !!
I imagine a lot of rank spaces and pick up points could be created if normal cars were banned !!
Also why do wilkinsons on newgate street insist on getting there deliverys at busy times andnot after the bars and clubs are shut oh and the three pervy Greggsblokes who all park there massive trucks on grainger street nearly every night and after unloading one truck stand and ogle at the shop door for three hours , wonder if Greggs know that they are paying nine hours wages a night for them to stand and perv !!!!!
Andy
@Am133, I have report the Wilkonsons wagons for blocking the roads and when I called the next day to see what was done, I was told the office that responded claimed it wasn’t blocking the road! They wont start doing anything until they get more hassle, if more drivers start to phone them and get a incident number, they will have to take action.
@SC, did you report it to the police , council or wilkinsons themselves ?
the police
Can I just say that yes a delegation talking to mr Shipley is a good idea, but were is the delegation representing the Newcastle PH drivers because we are also affected by the lack of rank space and the PH and out of town drivers flimping, “Do we not have a voice?”.
Please remember that we are all doing the same job exept Hacks use ranks (when they can find a space) and PH drivers get a phone call.
As a PH driver I dred getting a job at liquid or legends through the week as the hack rank for liquid starts at brough park and legends at the sage gateshead.
Just take a minute and watch the way the Hack and PH drivers (not all) fight each other for space to stop. Watch how they don’t let each other out. And then watch the public. Most of them are totaly ablivious to whats going on and as long as they get home they don’t care who’s driving. If it says Taxi that’s what it is. If it has an open door and a willing driver it will do.
As a PH driver I cann’t advertise on my vehicle,but the Hacks can so why donn’t we all (the complete Newcastle taxi/Ph indistry) get together and try and raise the publics awareness of or issues and the issues of their safty because the LA’s, Police and the enforcement can only do so much. It’s the public that we need on our side and we can only do it if we are ALL shouting the same shout and walking the same walk.
How many people have getting into your vehicle and asked”Is it picking up any for you yet” NO “I theres to many cars” but they are unaware of the bigger issues.
Think how many people have getting into your car and asked about the berwick hacks. I’ve had people ask me why it’s allowed and while explaining I’ve pointed out berwick hacks and the people have asked “how do you tell”, But trying to explain plates to people outside the taxi trade isn’t easy and you cann’t tell them to look at the top signs because most of them don’t use them.
I,ve had people saying “look at the amount of Taxis here there was never that many” but unfortunatly there was it’s just the driver have no Rank space so they’ve got no option.
And I’m sick of people saying why don’t you (the taxi trade) do something about it?. After expaining to them that the taxi trade are trying but we are all pullig in oposite directions but trying to get to the same place they themselve come up with ways of sorting things out. I won’t put down what they say incase any Children are reading as there not always PC.