Taxi drivers fear introduction of new policy

3:24pm Friday 21st November 2008

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CITY taxi drivers fear they could lose trade to colleagues from other areas if councillors implement a new policy.

Cabbies in Durham City are angry about a draft licensing policy prepared for the new Durham County Council unitary authority, which is due to start life in April.

They fear that policies including allowing hackney carriages from any part of the county to ply their trade on the city’s streets, imposing a colour code for all cabs, and insisting that all hackney drivers gain a County Durham “knowledge’’ could ruin their trade.

Three years ago, the Durham Independent Taxi Association fought off a bid by Durham City Council – one of seven councils to be replaced by the new unitary authority – to make white the only colour allowed for cabs that operate off the rank.

The association, which represents 30 of the city’s 74 drivers, was concerned about the draft policy that was discussed by the county council’s cabinet yesterday.

It is concerned that the current seven licensing areas, based on district council boundaries, will be scrapped and the entire county made one zone.

This would mean that about 2,500 drivers would have to follow a single set of rules on things such as vehicle colour and fare tariff and be able to legally pick up passengers anywhere in the county.

Association secretary Steven Pratt said Durham City, with its university and lively night life, could draw drivers from quieter areas to compete for fares with the city’s own drivers.

He said: “People think Durham is a honeypot and people from outlying areas will come in to the city if they decide to take the lid off.”

The council decided yesterday to carry out consultation on the plans.

Licensing officer Peter Reynolds, from Derwentside council, said that the idea was that some of the proposed policies would be gradually introduced up to the year 2012. Initially, it would apply to newer drivers.