Cabbies welcome cap on Coventry's taxis

Council leaders are to stop any more black cabs using Coventry’s streets – a key demand of striking taxi drivers who caused chaos earlier this year.



Cabbie leaders today welcomed the introduction of a cap on the number of licences issued in the city – and have ruled out more strike action.

The limit is among a series of measures announced today after a lengthy review. They include a refusal to meet previous cabbie demands for a 17 per cent hike in fares.

Cab fares are to be frozen after a survey found they were already much higher than in similar cities.

The council will also introduce a “zero tolerance” approach to “unofficial taxi ranks” by automatically fining offenders.

Coventry City Council leaders also want to stamp out an “over-ranking culture” of black cab drivers cramming into city centre ranks – which are to change locations.

They say it has left people in other parts of the city struggling to get a black cab when they need one.

The measures were approved by ruling Labour councillors on Monday night, and are expected to be rubber-stamped next week.

It follows a survey, conducted by independent consultants Jacobs, of demand and supply for taxis in the city, which concluded the city is not short of taxis.

Cabbies called off nine days of unofficial wildcat strike action in February – which included blockading city centre ranks and the ring road – after agreeing to await the outcome of the review.

Their key demand was for a block, or cap, on the council issuing any licences to new taxi drivers.