IN THE
NEWS...IN THE NEWS..
GLASGOWCITY COUNCIL ACCUSED OF ‘PROFITEERING PLOY’ AMID ANNUAL TAXI INSPECTIONS PRICE INCREASE
Taxi drivers have hit out at Glasgow City Council after the authority increased the price of annual safety inspections. According to the Evening Times, dri- vers have accused the council of “prof- iteering” as charges have risen from £51.50 to £61.50. The twice-yearly in- spections were sus- pended in March due to the coron- avirus pandemic, however the inspec- tion recently centre reopened including the £10 increase on the annual reviews and a £10 increase on the charge for vehicle resits.
The increase has been justified as covering the cost of thoroughly sanitis- ing the taxis before the check-ups are conducted. Glasgow Cab Sec- tion is now arguing alongside drivers that the price rise is unjustifiable as they claim they were not consulted before the move went ahead. One city taxi driver said: “The council has sneakily put the prices of inspections of taxis up to rough- ly £61. Their excuse is that the vehicles have to be sanitised by the inspection centre staff before it
can be inspected. The guys sanitise their cabs anyway so it is just a money- making ploy. “I own six vehicles so that works out £20 extra per year on each vehicle. That is £125 extra a
year I have to pay to the council just to sanitise my cabs when I already sani- tise them anyway. “If you take it there are 6,000 vehicles in Glasgow, and they are getting tested twice a year – that works out at 12,000 tests. From that, they’re generating £120,000 revenue. That is quite a lot. It is nothing but profi- teering.” Another taxi driver said: “For the coun- cil to hike prices up on anything right now is a disgrace. We’re trying to get drivers to come into the trade and it is just going to com-
pletely deter them. “At the moment, we are having to work all hours to pay those bills and it is just grim. “For the council to increase anything at this stage is bonk- ers. People are actually leaving the trade because of bills they can’t meet. We’re not making any money right now.” “I feel sorry for those who have just forked out on an electric cab to com- ply with the new low-emission stan- dards as they are paying tens of thou- sands of pounds to pay them off. They’re struggling
badly.” The chairman of Glasgow Cab Sec- tion, Calum Ander- son, has written to the council urging an immediate review of the increase. He said: “At a time when members are waiting several hours between hires, a rise of 20 per cent is both insensitive and un-justifiable.” A council spokes- woman said: “We are living in unprece- dented times and this small rise is due to enhanced mea- sures to ensure the safety of our staff and customers and help suppress the spread of the virus.”
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SEPTEMBER 2020
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