PROTEST PLIGHT MERSEY CABBIES PROTEST AT UNCLEAR GUIDELINES


Taxi drivers from Merseyside came together last month in protest about what they claim are “unclear” guidelines regarding the way to deal with tricky mem- bers of the public. Around 100 cabbies set off from Kirkby and drove around the town to show solidarity for two colleagues, Phillip Naylor,


George Sealey,


30, and 58,


who appeared before magistrates on Friday, 17 June accused of two counts each of child abduction. This could see them facing a jail sentence of up to seven years.


News of the decision to press charges against the two drivers relating to this incident sparked anger among


the Merseyside taxi community.


The two drivers faced the charges after allegedly holding two teenage brothers they suspected of vandal- ism in the back of one of their cabs. They believed that the boys, aged 15 and 13, threw a brick at one of their cars on February 8 – something that taxi drivers say happens regularly on Mersey- side streets. The schoolboys were then allegedly held in the back of one of the cabs on Saxon Way, Kirkby, before making their escape before police arrived. Both boys are believed to have denied any wrongdoing. Fellow licence holders threatened direct action


in a tense meeting with Merseyside Police and Alan Shone, Knowsley Council’s consumer protection manager. The drivers wanted to know why the council only took the decision to suspend Naylor and Sealey once the charges were laid on June 1st. Tony Carr, the Unite the Union representa- tive for taxi drivers in the borough, said his colleagues had lost faith in the police and the council. He told the Liverpool Echo: “The drivers don’t know what will happen. If someone refuses to pay a fare and they take them to the police station, then he could be done for kidnap. “Nobody seems to want to be on our side,


and what message does that send to the criminals? They think they can just get away with it, it’s carte blanche for them.” At the meeting, drivers called for clearer guid- ance on dealing with runners or people who were violent towards them.


Drivers expressed concern that they were viewed as “low priori- ty” by police who deal with incidents. Mersey- side Police denied this. Speaking to the drivers, Sergeant Kim Carter reminded them that they could make citizen’s arrests or take offenders to police sta- tions. She stressed that “reasonable force” could be used as restraint. But one person at the meeting


said he felt the situa- tion was now “clear as mud”.


He said: “They tell us we can make a citizen’s arrest, but you never know where you stand once the police turn up. Look at what happened to these drivers – they wanted to stop people from vandalising their cars and end up in the dock.” Mr Carr, who drives a cab himself in the bor- ough, said: “It is still a sketchy area. It seems to depend on the atti- tude of the person, whether they give you a telling off or book you for an offence. It puts us in a precarious position.”


Drivers were also con- cerned about the suspensions imposed on Naylor and Sealey at


the start of last month. They had been working since the incident, but when the Crown Prose- cution Service decided to prosecute, their licences were with- drawn. Since their appearance at the Mag- istrates’ Court on the 17th June, it is under- stood that one of the drivers’ licences has been reinstated. At their first appear- ance before mag- istrates, they were supported by a num- ber of fellow drivers. Chairman of the Bench Michael Bridge indicat- ed that the case would be heard at Crown Court and granted the men bail. Mr Naylor and Mr Sealey must appear again at Knowsley Magistrates’ Court on August 12.


READING RANK PROTEST PAYS OFF Call Us On 0845 108 5376 Visit Our Website @ www.taxiclaims.co.uk


Deal Direct and get up to £2500*


Taxi drivers have won their battle to relocate taxi ranks following major changes to the town centre’s road network.


for you &


your passenger claims now!


Members of Reading Taxi Association (RTA) brought traffic to a standstill in April over the reduction of spaces


and their location. But Reading Borough Council has bowed to pressure and altered the road layout around Reading station. According to the Reading Post, taxi spaces have now been introduced at the blocked off entrance


to Station Approach and are fed from a taxi queuing area in Gar- rard Street, which had previously been closed off.


Asif Rashid, chairman of the RTA, said his members were happi- er with the new arrangements.


HUNDREDS STRANDED IN WORKINGTON THE Taxi Claim Specialists


RIP OFF CLAIMS INDUSTRY..? Did you know that Insurance Companies & Claims Management Companies get paid commission for claims!?


CUT OUT THE MIDDLE MEN — CALL TAXICLAIMS DIRECTLY… And we’ll pay YOU up to £2500* for you & your passenger claims!


* see website for terms of business Taxiclaims is a trading name of Hughes Walker Solicitors Limited


0845 108 5376 | www.taxiclaims.co.uk PAGE 22


Cabbies in Workington have warned they will strike over a row about a taxi rank.


Hundreds of revellers were left stranded in the town in the early hours of a recent Sunday as taxi drivers launched their first action.


Drivers’ spokesman Stephen Robinson claimed drivers were being handed penalty notices and threat- ened with court action over the way they parked on Washington Street and Ramsey Brow at weekends.


It came to a head when several drivers were asked to move on by police, who said they were causing an obstruction. All but a few taxis left Working- ton town centre at 1.45am and parked at the town’s Tesco store. They did not return to work until more than an hour later, leaving many people without transport home. Mr Robinson told the Workington Times and Star: “We don’t feel like we have any other choice but to strike. I


can’t say when we will strike again. It is the only way that we can make our point.” He said that about 90 cabbies were vying for six spaces on Wash- ington Street and wanted to see a bigger town centre rank. Meanwhile, Cumbria County Council said it was looking for per- mission from the DfT to make the bus stop area into a taxi rank between 12.30am and 7am to ease conges- tion on Friday and Saturday nights.


PHTM JULY 2011


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88