PROTEST PLIGHT


HUNDREDS OF ANGRY NORTHAMPTON CABBIES PROTEST AGAINST NEW COUNCIL POLICY


Hundreds of angry cabbies based in Northampton descended on the town centre protesting against a new policy proposed by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC). The ACDU has criticised the council’s draft Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy 2023, which is out for public consultation until 26 March. Cabbies who are members of the ACDU took to the streets on |23 February to voice their anger. The council says the new policy focuses on improving driver standards; strengthening the “fit and proper person” test; a more rigorous convictions policy; mandatory safeguarding training; spoken English testing; and driving standards training.


money into the council through licensing, and it’s these drivers who keep the town moving. “The council should sit at the table with the workers and try to get the best policy that works for the public and for the drivers. That’s fair. But at the moment it’s one-sided.


ADCU President Yaseen Aslan said: “The way the policy is drafted is to punish a certain group of workers, which is the driver community. The worst thing about this is drivers were never invited to the table when the council was drafting these policies. It’s these drivers who contribute a big chunk of


“What you see here is just the start of something. We’re going to keep coming back again and again. We’re going to win this fight. We’re confident. We’ve done it across many cities. We’re quite militant. We know what we need, we know what we’re fighting for. And we will continue fighting until we win.”


PHTM MARCH 2023


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