COVID
NEWS...COVID NEWS
CLAIMS THAT UP TO 30 DUNDEE TAXI DRIVERS HAVE QUIT TRADE AHEAD OF FRESH CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS
Taxi driver union representative, Chris Elder, claims as many as 30 Dundee taxi drivers could have already quit the trade as busi- ness has become so sparse. He said that drivers are not renewing their registrations and are taking alternatives jobs or moving on to Universal Credit in order to survive. The Unite the Union taxi branch secretary said: “The new restrictions will have a devas- tating effect on trade. There are already cars that are sitting there because drivers can’t get out and make a living. I know there
are guys that didn’t renew - I would say 20 to 30 vehicles have been lost already.” He added that the 10pm curfew could, in effect, mean the end of a day and night shift for city drivers and the rules on household visits would disrupt another crucial source of income. “The majority of cars will only do a day shift and that will make things even worse. We were getting fares going from one house to another but that is now out as well. Drivers will be sitting in ranks waiting on fares. That
will affect us, big time.” Prime minister Boris Johnson said he expected the hospitality restrictions to last at least six months, though first minister Nicola Sturgeon later said that may not be the case when addressing the Scottish Par- liament. Mr Elder said government support for the self-employed must continue for as long as restrictions affect trade. He said: “They should look after taxi drivers and their fami- lies. The alternative is turning to foodbanks.”
BLACKBURN CABBIES CLAIM THOUSANDS OF POUNDS PAID TO TAXI FIRMS DURING LOCKDOWN HAVE NOT BEEN PASSED ON
An investigation has been launched follow- ing claims from some Blackburn taxi drivers that tens of thousands of pounds have been paid to cab firms during lockdown which have not been passed on to them. The payments relate to council contracts to provide school transport which, in line with government guidance, Blackburn with Dar- wen Council and Lancashire County Council continued to pay taxi firms for contracts they could not fulfil between May and July 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions. Most contracted drivers continued to be paid during this period but some drivers say they have not receive any payment. Mohammed Iqbal Ansari, 47, said he had received nothing from City Taxis. He said: “I was not able to work for months and I asked if they would be paying me the contracted money. They said ‘no’." Another City Taxis driver, Faiz Akhtar, said: “We asked for the money and were told it would not be paid. Nothing has been paid to the drivers as far as I am aware. This is total- ly unfair.” A driver who used to work for Matrix Taxis Blackburn said: “I worked for them and was paid £240 per week for my contracts. After lockdown I asked for this payment but it has not been forthcoming. It’s unfair.” County Councillor Keith Iddon, Lancashire County Council’s cabinet member for high- ways and transport, said: “If drivers claimed through the Self-Employed Income Support or firms used the Furlough programmes, they are not entitled to have their wages paid or topped up by the county council contract payments for this period. However, any drivers who believe they should receive payments from the county council funding should contact us and we will look into it.”
OCTOBER 2020
A Blackburn with Darwen Council spokesman said: “We have been made aware of apparent non-payment to a small minority of drivers and have started an investigation. If non-compliance is clear, an audit will take place to determine correct procedures are followed in line with Govern- ment guidance.” A statement from City Taxis said: “We take allegations very seriously, and have a very robust grievance procedure in place, that has not been accessed by any of our drivers. All
our drivers who were logged on for work dur- ing the Covid-19 lockdown and carried out their contractual obligations have been paid. “We have sent out text messages and emails to all drivers to make sure of their welfare during these unprecedented times, and if any of them felt the need to speak to us we are here to help them. None of our drivers have approached us with any grievance; however we are here to help if they would like to contact us.” Matrix Taxis did not make a comment.
MAN REBUKES FLINTSHIRE COUNCIL OVER ‘RIDICULOUS’ COVID-19 MEASURES
A man has blasted Flintshire Council over the fact he can’t be interviewed about his application for a taxi licence because the council “doesn’t have a big enough inter- view room”. The man claims he has applied for a local role driving children to and from school and is required to attend a formal interview. The man, who finds himself unemployed for the first time in 40 years, explained: “I contacted Flintshire Council’s Licensing Department to be told they are not accepting any applications at the moment as they are working from home and do not have a room big enough in their Ewloe offices to carry out interviews which are Covid safe. “I was also advised that when they do get back to work in three to four weeks’ time there is a backlog of six to eight weeks for criminal checks. “This is a disgraceful state of affairs - I have
two children to feed and need a job, I can- not do that on £74 a week job seekers allowance. “To me it’s just a ridiculous excuse, an inter- view can be conducted safely if we’re two meters apart - they said there needs to be glass screen in place and things like that, it’s definitely a bit over the top. It just smacks of more stumbling blocks caused by local authority red tape.” Flintshire Council says it has been “adapt- ing” its processes where it’s been able, but that in order to process new driver applica- tions, officers need to meet with applicants in person. A spokesperson said: “A glass screen and audio equipment will be in place in the room we use for taxi applications at our offices at Ty Dewi Sant, Ewloe so that when the build- ing reopens to the public we are able to take new driver applications in as safe an envi- ronment as possible.”
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